Ukiyo
by Teenage Mouse
Summary: Here in the walled-off pleasure district of Edo, the last thing Commander Arthur Kirkland of the Royal Navy had expected to find was a golden-haired American in Japanese robes, an elite entertainer with a strange and supernatural Even more surprising is the powerful connection Arthur feels to this man whom he doesn't even (Set in 19th century )
1. First

~ * First * ~

Arthur had never seen anyone so beautiful or so out of place. The fascinating stranger didn't belong here and he clearly knew it, but was pretending neither to notice nor care. It was quite an assumption to make, but Arthur couldn't help feeling that the golden haired westerner, as proudly as he held himself, felt just as alone as he looked, surrounded by the dark-eyed, black-haired Japanese crowd.

But considering that this was just Arthur's first impression upon a glance through the busy street, he felt a little embarrassed for having such a strong reaction. He was a stranger here himself – newer than this other man, that was for certain. There was absolutely no reason for him to feel the need to reach out to this foreigner, least of all to feel such a connection to someone he'd never even met. Their lives were obviously very, very different, and this man probably didn't need Arthur in his.

Arthur didn't think he was staring, but he must have been looking long enough that the man in his sights had noticed. Because suddenly a pair of striking blue eyes were looking back, locked almost physically onto to the British sailor even from this distance. There was no time, nor any will in Arthur's mind, to bow politely or look away. He simply watched as the man began walking towards him, his train of attendants scurrying after him on wooden sandals that clacked on the cobbled street.

"Excuse me, but would you happen to be Commander Arthur Kirkland?"

Arthur looked up, finding the mysterious westerner to be a little taller than himself.

"I am."

There was no expression on the man's face. He held himself and appeared like all the Japanese men Arthur had met so far - unreadable, serious, cold, intimidating. But there was a spark in his eyes that had Arthur instantly captivated.

"Am I right in thinking that you are here to meet with your Admiral and a few of your Captains?"

Arthur nodded. "I'm afraid I...must have gotten turned around. I was meant to meet them at the gate but I..." He trailed off, suddenly confused about how he had gotten all the way down the main street. Had the allure of the glowing lanterns and laughter inside the walled-off pleasure district been so much that he forgot about his superiors?

The strange foreigner gave him a smile that halted Arthur's train of thought. "It's all right, Commander Kirkland. I must deliver a message that your Admiral and the others will not be making it tonight. However..." The man looked beyond the canopy of the red umbrella which one of his servants held above him. "The rain is getting heavier. We should get inside. If you would be so kind as to accompany me, I would be honoured to ensure that your time in Yoshiwara is not wasted this evening."

Arthur's eyes widened, and his fingers found themselves slipping around the hilt of his sword for something to grip onto.

"That would be most kind of you."

The man nodded his head in a small bow, and for the first time Arthur noticed the long golden ponytail trailing down his back.

"My name is Alfred Jones."

It was a name as out of place as the man himself. Appropriate in its incongruity. Arthur wanted to laugh, but found himself bowing instead. For all that "Alfred" didn't fit in on the outside, he disguised himself as Japanese very well. Perhaps he was not just a visitor like all the other westerners who were trickling into Japan these days. He looked young, only around 20 or so. Perhaps he had been raised here with the first comers from America, and considered himself Japanese? He was a certainly mystery, one who appeared locked behind closed doors. But Arthur couldn't get that spark in those light blue eyes out of his head. He wanted to see if he could meet the man in those eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jones-san. Thank you for your generous hospitality," Arthur replied, deciding to just treat Alfred as he treated the other Japanese men met he had been dealing with here.

Alfred said nothing, but only turned, giving Arthur a full view of the silken ponytail that reached well down his legs. His red robes reached nearly the ground, and looked almost aglow with the light of the low red moon, and the scarlet lanterns hanging outside the tea houses and brothels lining the street of Naka-no-cho.

Arthur realised Alfred was waiting for him, and, snapping out of his daze, he stepped forward to stand beside the strange American. Alfred's attendants let them start walking back the way Alfred had come, and filed after them once more, holding the umbrella over both their heads to shield them from the rain that did, indeed, begin to fall.

All down the busy main street of Yoshiwara, the pleasure-seekers and working girls began scurrying into buildings to escape the weather. As loud and as busy as it had been a few minutes ago, the world now became silent, the "shhhhhhh" sound of the rain as it pattered against the paved road quieting everything around it.

"Is this your first time in Yoshiwara?" Alfred asked as their procession headed down towards the back of the district.

"Yes," Arthur replied. "I...was hesitant about coming here. It's not exactly...Well, where I'm from, this sort of place would be considered an inappropriate haunt for a man of my position."

Something about that sentence made Alfred hold a hand up to his face to hide what must have been a sudden smile. Arthur wondered what was so funny, but then he noticed Alfred's brow scrunched in pain. What on earth had he said to make Alfred react this way? He was about to apologise when Alfred coughed and lowered his hand again.

"I know that the Europeans and Americans are confused by Yoshiwara. In your countries, physical pleasure is seen as something low and crude. But there is nothing so terrible about natural instincts, is there? Yoshiwara is a place where we can enjoy pleasure - through our bodies, through art, through fashion, through food, through theatre and song. Pleasure is just another beautiful part of life we are blessed to enjoy. Maybe for a price," he added, smiling mischievously at Arthur beside him, who blushed and looked at the ground. "But it is not considered wrong here. I know that a lot of Europeans and Americans come here because it is wrong to them, and that makes it exciting. But...you don't seem that way."

Arthur raised his head and Alfred giving him a strange look, weighing him up rather than outright judging.

"As you seem to know, I came here because my superiors invited me. I had no intention of...doing something I have been raised to believe is inappropriate. However, I do not judge anyone here for participating in the...entertainments of Yoshiwara. Because they have been raised to believe it is acceptable. And who am I to judge which of our two cultures has got it right?"

Alfred smiled at him, taking a deep breath as if drinking in the man beside him.

"So your spirit is as pure as your white uniform. I had guessed as much," said Alfred, slyly.

"I can only try to do what I think is right. That includes letting others do what they think is right."

Alfred looked away from him then, turning his face so that Arthur could see it no more. Arthur took the moment to look around at the puzzle of wooden buildings around him, short and tall, slim and wide all fitting together side by side, tea houses rubbing elbows with kabuki theatres, and brothels next to cafes as if it were all a natural arrangement. And in Yoshiwara, it seemed that it was. Arthur may have been uncomfortable knowing what was going on behind those glowing yellow windows, what those shadows moving and forth were probably doing. But the fact that it was perfectly normal and relaxed to those around him made it feel less scary, less invasive and depraved.

"We are here," said Alfred softly.

They stood in front of a teahouse, round the back corner of the main high street and facing the high walls that enclosed Yoshiwara and cut it off from the rest of the city of Edo. It was a little bigger than most of the other tea houses, but Arthur had expected something far grander for an establishment that could be home to someone like Alfred.

Alfred seemed to sense his thoughts as he watched Arthur's face, for he smiled and said "This is just one of the places where I work. I would like to show you the main building, but I do not know how much time we have. I have a guess but...we shall see."

Arthur was quickly distracted from deciphering that strange comment as he followed Alfred through the sliding front door and into the tea house. They removed their shoes in the large barren foyer, placing them amidst dozens of other pairs that proved it must be a popular shop, despite being tucked away at the back of Yoshiwara. Then, leaving the attendants, Alfred opened the paper doors to the main building and led Arthur inside.

From the calm just ouside, Arthur never would have guessed that the teahouse would be so noisy. He thought these places were supposed to be fancy and elegant, but apparently that was not the case in here, at least. The room was filled with people, sitting and sprawled on the tatami mats around several long, low wooden tables. The air was alive with boisterous chatter, shouts for girls' attention and rowdy laughter. And Arthur didn't understand a word, which made it seem ten times louder somehow.

He managed not to jump when Alfred brushed a hand down his arm reassuringly, and led him to a free space at the head of a nearby table. They sat down together, Arthur making a mess of it compared to Alfred, who knelt with all the grace of an artist fully trained.

"Not what you were expecting?" Alfred asked, nodding in recognition at the surrounding customers as he reached for a clay teapot with an oddly shaped spout.

"Not from you," Arthur said, hoping it wasn't too bold a statement.

Alfred looked at him out of the corner of his and smiled. A girl appeared at Alfred's side, offering him two clean cups. He set them down before himself and Arthur, pouring for the two of them, and then for a few others nearby.

"It's not my haunt, as you say, but I thought it would be the best place for us tonight. We're much freer to talk here."

Arthur nodded, and watched to see how Alfred drank, ever so gracefully, before trying it himself. The tea tasted like earth, but was strangely refreshing and calming. He felt himself relax and breathed deeply, looking around at the other tea house patrons.

There were several girls at each table, a little like geishas but without the fantastic, doll-like make-up. They were clearly the employees, as they poured tea, laughed, and flirted with the customers. The men themselves, were like the others Arthur had seen on the main street of Yoshiwara - some old, some young, from the working-class right up to the wealthier residents of Edo. One or two were rugged and weathered enough to maybe even be samurai. A mixed bunch, that was for certain.

"In Yoshiwara, there is no distinction between class or status," Alfred leaned in and said to him, noticing Arthur's eyes wander over the crowd. "If you can pay for something here, it is yours - whether you are a farmer, a merchant or a shogun."

Arthur nodded, a little surprised. You'd never find a place in England that offered a status quo like that.

"Is the tea to your liking?"

Arthur looked back at Alfred, finding his face still very close from where he had leant in to be heard above the crowd. Arthur shivered a little, and leaned away, a blush heating his face and making him even more embarrassed. "Yes. It's very good. Is this your job then? You work at tea houses?"

Alfred smirked."It's _one_ of my jobs."

Arthur blinked. "O-oh really?"

Alfred nodded, and finally leant back, giving Arthur some space. "Do you know the word _kagema_?" Alfred's English was perfect, a slight American accent being all he had to show his nationality. But his Japanese was absolutely natural, too. He must have lived here a long time. And none of the other patrons of the tea house had even looked surprised when he entered – he must be a common sight around here.

Arthur shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't know any Japanese."

"All the better," Alfred smiled mischievously. He straightened his face and said "It means that I also work as a kabuki actor."

"Truly?" asked Arthur, very impressed, though he should have expected Alfred to have more surprises in store. "That must be fascinating work, the theatre."

"It is indeed. I would very much like to see you in the audience next time."

Arthur blushed again, eyes darting around at the crowd before remembering his manners and settling back on Alfred.

"Thank you. I would love to see you perform."

Alfred clapped his hands. "Then it's settled. I will have a ticket and a seat ready just for you, Commander Kirkland."

"Please, if you'd like...call me Arthur."

Alfred's smile then was very strange. Like earlier when he had smiled but looked so sad at Arthur's words. Now his eyes lit up, and he almost gasped, but his face remained stoic.

"And you must call me Alfred."

Arthur nodded, and took another sip of tea to hide his face.

"It's a shame," said Alfred, running a finger round the rim of his own cup. "I spent a long time looking you for this evening. I don't think we have much time left together."

Arthur glanced over and then away, fiddling with his trouser leg. "I can stay a while, if you really have time to throw away on a newcomer like myself."

"But it is already nearly 3 o' clock."

It was very odd, because Arthur was sure he had arrived at Yoshiwara around midnight to meet his Admiral. Had he really spent 3 hours wandering around before meeting Alfred?

Arthur's thoughts were banished as he suddenly noticed...but it couldn't be. One of the customers down the other end of the table had...a pair of fox ears on his head? Surely they were fake but...they twitched, flattened against his head. And there, another man with whom he was arguing – a bushy, dark brown tail was wagging about behind him.

And suddenly one of the tea girls was creating fire from her hand and snapping it at them to break up the fight. A howl of laughter from some onlookers made Arthur focus on them and he realised their long, pointed faces were not human, these people were not human...

Arthur began to panic, wondering what was in this tea or if it were all a dream. And yet, he didn't want it to be a dream. He didn't want Alfred to be fake.

A hand gripped his shoulder, pulling him round, and Arthur found himself calming at the sight of Alfred's strong blue gaze boring into him.

"Arthur. It's all right. There is nothing to fear here. You're safe."

And although Arthur was still nervous and confused – why wasn't anyone else around him noticing this madness, or caring about it? – he nodded. For some strange reason, he trusted this mysterious Japanese-American whom he had only just met.

He breathed deeply a few times, never looking away from Alfred's eyes.

Alfred squeezed his arm again. "It has been so good to see you, Arthur. Please come back soon." He looked so earnest, so determined and desperate for some reason that Arthur couldn't help but promise to himself that he would be back. Even though there was clearly some witchcraft going on here, some devil in Yoshiwara, Arthur knew he would be back for Alfred.

Because _there_ was the man in those eyes. Not the elegant disguise, the front of someone taught and raised to behave a certain way to fit in. There was _Alfred_ looking at him, and Alfred wanted him to come back.

And Arthur knew that he would.

* * *

**A/N:**

This story was inspired by the Music Box AU, made popular by the MMD and many many fanarts on pixiv. In the video, Arthur and Alfred are both wearing Japanese clothes - first, simple working outfits, and then fancy robes with kitsune/fox masks as they dance on a stage surrounded by lotus blossom with a big red moon behind them.

However, I saw a fanart which had the kagema!Alfred from the MMD, and a Royal Navy!Arthur. And I needed it to be a fic. But I knew nobody would write it, so I had to do it.

**Historical Notes**

I took _GREAT_ liberties with the historical accuracy here, since this was just being written for some quick fun during Sweethearts Week, and I didn't have time to look at the interior design for 19th century tea houses, etc. However, I _did_ do a lot of research for this AU, and I throw it about wherever possible.

**Foreigners in Japan** = This chapter is set in **1862**. Japan has recently started opening up its ports to foreigners after two centuries of isolationism. However, even though foreigners are appearing more, it would be surprising for Arthur, a regular traveller with the Royal Navy, to see someone like Alfred who has been raised in Japan. The country only opened up in 1854, and since Alfred looks around 20, he must have been raised in the Japanese culture from a young age.

**Edo **= the name for Tokyo at this time (so this story is set in 19th century Tokyo)

**Yoshiwara **= the red-light district. It was in the north of Edo, and walled-off from the rest of the city. From my research, I got the impression that, although Yoshiwara was seedy, it wouldn't have been considered as completely morally bankrupt as such an area would be in Victorian England. I mean, Arthur is going to be horrified by the concept, naturally - but it's not only pervy Japanese guys looking to get off who would visit Yoshiwara. It was a hub for theatre, art and fashion, so the entertainment and culture there was important, despite the fact that it's a red-light district.

**Commander** = Arthur is a high ranking member of the Royal Navy. A very good job at this point in history. He's rather young for such a high position, so he's clearly an intelligent, hard-working and extraordinary man.

**Arthur's sword** = swords, daggers, etc. were not allowed in Yoshiwara. The popular idea behind that rule was that men who were fighting over a woman couldn't hurt each other. But really, it was probably to stop any woman getting her hands on a weapon and giving her the opportunity to end her own life. Many of the girls working in Yoshiwara were not there by choice (hence one of the reasons for the walls around the district, to keep them inside) and would have killed themselves if they had a sword lying around. _HOWEVER_. The foreigners coming in to Japan at this time were pretty cheeky, as they lived by the rules of _THEIR_ country, despite being in Japan. So whatever goes for England goes in Japan, and so on. So whilst a Japanese man would not bring his sword into Yoshiwara, Arthur's like "Well, I'm English so _wha'ever, I do what I woah-wunt_!"

**Kagema **= a male prostitute. Strangely enough, it seems male prostitution was not illegal or thought of as particularly immoral at this point in time in Japan. However, kagema have other jobs besides prostitution, like working at tea houses or taking female roles in kabuki theatre.

**Kitsune **= the strange fox-men that scare Arthur at the tea house. You probably know them already, as they're famous creatures from Japanese folklore. They can shapeshift between their human and fox forms. They can also take on the appearance of any other human they see. But when they get scared or emotional their tails pop out (hence why the two guys arguing let themselves go by accident). Kitsune have mulitple tails - one for every century they're alive. Arthur notices that the kitsune in the tea hosue only has one tail so he's young, hence why the room is rowdy and the patrons are arguing - they're all basically just babies/teens.

**Ukiyo** = the title of the fic. _Ukiyo_ literally means the "Floating World", and is used to describe the culture of Yoshiwara - referencing urban life, pleasure, entertainment and art. It also alludes to the water-trade (_mizu-soubai_), which is a euphemism for the particular sorts of entertainment found in Yoshiwara. It also sounds almost identical to the phrase "_uki yo_" ("Sorrowful World"): a buddhist concept about this earthly plane where life is fleeting and desperate.


	2. Second

~ * Second * ~

"Arthur."

Arthur turned around and found Alfred a few paces away, smiling in the serene way that the British man had come to associate with the Japanese, and with this strange westerner who was somehow one of them but still set apart.

"I had hoped you would make it tonight. We're putting on a great show, and I very much wanted you to see it."

As he stumbled to think of something to say, Arthur suddenly realised why he had such trouble thinking and reacting around Alfred. The man always caught him off guard. Even yesterday, when he spent a while with him, it seemed that every sentence, every look they shared, every time Arthur took in his appearance, it was always as surprising as the first time. He couldn't wrap his head around this person. How could someone like this be real?

Suddenly he remembered that horrifying moment last night when the patrons of the tea house had started growing ears and tails - maybe it _wasn't_ real. Maybe _that_ was the problem.

"I'm looking forward to it," Arthur said, bowing almost in half, as it seemed respectful. "But I must ask...Alfred...is this real? Are you..._What_ are you?"

He hoped it wasn't too impertinent, but after what he had seen last night he had to know. It wouldn't scare him away, not if Alfred asked him back. But he still wanted the truth about what he was dealing with.

Alfred gave him a look that was perfectly level, perfectly blank. On an English person it might have looked bored, or as if the person were trying to formulate a lie. But on Alfred it just looked sincere. "Everything you see is real, Arthur. I know you saw some strange things last time, but can't strange things sometimes be true?"

Arthur blinked and nodded. "Yes, I suppose they can." He smiled. "After all, if they were not real, they would not be so strange. They would just be stories."

Alfred smiled mischievously. "You are fascinating, Commander Kirkland." Arthur blushed and fiddled with his sword hilt again. He was sure he wasn't 'fascinating' - certainly not compared to Alfred. But before he could find a polite way to say that without coming on too strong, Alfred was holding out his umbrella to share. "Come with me. The show will be starting soon. I was allowed out to come and fetch you, so we must hurry back before the next act."

Arthur walked towards him and stood under the umbrella, a red one again that stood out magnificently with Alfred's black and gold embroidered kimono. It was raining only a little compared to last night, a few large drops creating dark patterns on the ground but hardly enough to frighten away the excited crowds in Yoshiwara tonight. "Please, allow me," Arthur offered, taking the umbrella from Alfred and holding it above them.

Alfred bowed his head in gratitude, a secretive smile on his face that had Arthur's mind reeling and giddy with questions he didn't dare ask.

"As for myself, I'm not as exciting or mysterious as I look," said Alfred, smiling at Arthur as he began to lead them away from the tea house where Arthur had been waiting. "My blonde hair fools people, but really I'm just like any other person in Yoshiwara. I was born in America, and my parents and I moved here soon after Perry. After they died I would have been...well, I don't know. Who would take in a strange American child who cannot speak Japanese - especially when the people around us did not yet trust foreigners? Luckily, I was taken in by a man who runs some establishments here. He trained me in the fine arts of Yoshiwara, and because of my hair I draw quite the crowd. But that's really all it is."

"I'm sure you are selling yourself short, Alfred," Arthur dared to say, adrenaline tingling throughout his body and limbs at such a statement. "There is clearly more to you than the colour of your hair and eyes that makes you special."

Those eyes widened as Alfred stared ahead of them, visibly tensing, despite the layers upon layers of clothing shrouding his body. Arthur wondered if he had been too bold, or insulted Alfred in some way. He was about to apologise - or, more likely, end up babbling something embarrassing to save the situation - when Alfred spoke up.

"I am ordinary, Arthur, but...you will see more strange things at the theatre tonight. Last time at the tea house was an introduction – and now, if you think you can handle it and you do not mind...you will see more. Are you all right with that?"

Arthur thought about it for a moment. More to calm and prepare himself than because he wondered about saying no.

He took a deep breath and nodded, staring straight ahead at the walls of Yoshiwara. "I understand. I can take it."

Alfred watched the other's determined frown out of the corner of his eye and smiled to himself. "I'm sure you can. You certainly are a special one, yourself, Arthur."

Before Arthur had time to protest, he realised that Alfred had led him straight up to a gate in the wooden barricade surrounding the red-light district. There was only one entrance to Yoshiwara, far behind them on the other side of the district. This back door was only supposed to be a meagre little exit leading to a small park and a hospital – Arthur hadn't heard of a kabuki theatre being built out there. But apparently he was wrong, as Alfred stepped out from under the shelter of the umbrella and walked up to a ward who stood by the gate. They spoke briefly, and then the gate was opening.

"Is your theatre in the park back here?" asked Arthur, curious.

"Not exactly."

Arthur looked at Alfred in confusion, but when Alfred didn't explain, he focused back on the gate opening before them.

His eyes grew wider as the scene before him spread into view. Even at first glance, Arthur could tell this must be one of the 'strange things' Alfred had promised he would encounter tonight.

Right on the other side of the gate, the ground turned into a vast lake, so wide that Arthur couldn't see the shore on the other side. It may have been the early hours of the morning, and the sky a deep, dark black, but the full red moon had come out again and lit up the world around them, as did the hundreds upon hundreds of glowing flower-shaped lanterns that drifted lazily across the still lake. The heavy, scattered rain drops pattered against the surface of the water, making soft, deep sounds like a quiet drumming.

Right from the gate of Yoshiwara, a long wooden bridge stretched far into the distance across the lake, hovering so close to the surface that it was almost level with the water. But Arthur nearly didn't notice the bridge as his eyes were immediately drawn to the great vermilion arches that lined the structure. There must be hundreds of them, one after another, arching over every step of the bridge and casting the floorboards into shadow so that it looked like they were floating over the black water itself.

Indeed, Arthur was nervous to walk on it because, in the dark of night, the low bridge was almost indistinguishable fromthe black water, and he couldn't shake the feling that he was about to plunge into the lake. But with his first step onto the bridge, Arthur could feel that he had left the real world - or, at least, the one he was used to - behind them.

"How do you feel?" asked Alfred after a few moments of walking down the bridge in silence. His face flickered eerily between light and dark as they passed under the great arches lining the bridge, every few moments passing from the shadows of the arches into the red moonlight.

Arthur thought about it for a minute, trying to name any one of the dozens of emotions and thoughts flitting around his head. He settled for "Strange...but, intrigued."

Alfred gave him a crooked grin, a smile Arthur had not seen on the man before, but one which suited him very well. He returned it.

"I must tell you a little about kabuki before you get inside," said Alfred, as they made their way along the bridge over the black lake. "You see, kabuki lasts for hours, sometimes all day. You watch an act or a few scenes, then go back to reality for a while to work and live your life. Then you return and get sucked back into the fantasy again."

"It sounds interesting."

"It is, indeed. I'm sure you won't be able to stick around long enough to see the whole thing, so just enjoy what you can. You can't speak Japanese anyway, so perhaps you won't feel the loss too badly. You missed act one already, so I will give you the story."

Arthur nodded vigorously, already enraptured by the prospect of theatre and getting lost in a story. They continued walking down the bridge, still no end in sight. It felt like they were lost in time, like they would be here forever, and Arthur didn't seem to be minding at all.

"It's a love suicide, a popular type of show at the moment, if not a little depressing," Alfred half-smiled, half-grimaced. "Our story this evening was written by the owner of our theatre, the one who took me in after my parents died. The story goes that once upon a time there was a _kitsune_ - a fox spirit who can change between the body of a fox and the body of a human. Like the ones you saw last night. She was a good _kitsune_, a messenger of the fox god Inari. She was in love with a human, and they planned to marry, as humans can take fox spirits for their wives. But there was another human who wanted her. This other suitor stole her star pearl - a treasure in which _kitsune_ keep their souls. And with this star pearl, the bad human had control of the _kitsune_. He forced her to marry him. That was the end of the first act."

"And this act?" asked Arthur, so enthralled with the story that he did not notice a golden glow in the distance.

"The _kitsune_ and her true lover still meet in secret. Although they cannot be married, there is nothing stopping their love for each other. But then the evil husband finds out. And he uses his control over the _kitsune_ to force her to be loyal to him. He forbids her from seeing or contacting her lover. They are separated for good now."

It was terribly tragic, and Arthur felt it sitting heavily on his heart. It was just a story, and although he often found himself to be more sensitive to fiction than others, he felt strangely, unnecessarily saddened by this story. Why was it so different? Why did the thought of two lovers not getting to be together, being forced apart by magic and obligations, strike his heart so fiercely now?

"We are here."

Arthur looked up and saw an end to the tunnel of red arches. They were approaching a magnificent estate, with several buildings spread out around the small, wooded island at the end of the long bridge. The architecture was very rich and traditional Japanese style, far more impressive than the other buildings of Yoshiwara. But Arthur had a guess that this was a very different part of Yoshiwara than most people ever saw.

"I must leave you now," said Alfred, as they stepped out of the shadow of the last archway onto the island. "I need to get my make-up on. Kiku will soon be here to show you to your seat."

Alfred took the umbrella back from Arthur and walked off between two of the nearby buildings.

"Wait!"Arthur called. "What character do you play?"

Alfred looked over his shoulder. "The _kitsune_."

With that, he disappeared into the shadow of the buildings.

Arthur turned back to look at the main building, and found a Japanese man standing right in front of him. He couldn't help but jump in surprise. Hoping he hadn't caused offense, he quickly bowed.

"Good evening, sir. I do apologise, I didn't hear you approach. I...Ah...Alfred-san invited me to the show tonight. I'm afraid I forgot to collect my ticket from him, though..."

The man just stared at him, that dead and level look Arthur recognised from so many other Japanese faces. The one which looked different on Alfred because his eyes were so bright and open.

"I am aware. Please follow me."

It was only then that Arthur breathed a sigh of relief that the man actually spoke English. He hadn't thought of that issue before.

They headed into the foyer of the main building, removed their shoes, and then set off down and around some winding corridors - all empty and bare of any decoration.

Arthur found himself having to hurry after the Japanese man. He was slight and small, and wore capacious blue and white robes that looked like they would make it hard to move his legs. But he was quick on his feet. And soundless, too.

"I am honoured to be allowed into this theatre to see a performance. I know it doesn't mean much, but would you please give my deepest gratitude to the owner of the establishment?"

"I am the owner," said the stranger, without turning round. All Arthur could see was the back of his short black hair, shining in the golden lights hanging along the corridors.

"Oh! I...I am deeply sorry! I didn't realise. Thank you so much for having me here. It looks beautiful already." The man said nothing, but the silence around them was heavy and deafening. "...So..." Arthur stumbled for a way to ask his next question. "...Might you be the one Alfred was telling me about, who took him in when he was young?"

The man suddenly whirled around to face the British sailor, and Arthur nearly collided with him.

"I am."

Arthur blinked. Now that he had a good look at this 'Kiku' in the light of the corridor, he could take in his appearance. The Japanese man was beautiful, quite androgynous, with wise dark eyes and silken pitch black hair framing his snow white face. But none of that really settled with Arthur because it suddenly occurred to him that, although Alfred had said the theatre owner took him in when he was a child, this man _couldn't_ be the owner. He was just as young as Alfred, maybe a year or two older. How could this person have adopted Alfred after his parents' deaths? Alfred had said he was a small child, didn't he? This...none of it made sense.

"Your seat is in this box, Commander Kirkland. Do not cause any trouble for Alfred."

Arthur nodded, ashamed to have been staring so rudely. Kiku opened a door in the wall of the corridor and Arthur stepped into a room which was once again boisterously loud and full of people. A little like the tea house last night, except so very much bigger.

The theatre was huge, its vaulted ceiling giving an almost cathedral-like impression of grandeur, all in golden coloured wood. There were two levels of boxes on the wall, full to bursting with theatre patrons. Then, on the ground, there were half a dozen shallow pits lining the floor. Audience members were sitting in these pits too, eating, drinking, waiting excitedly for the next act of the show which they must have started watching hours ago.

The stage was a sight to behold. Elaborately painted settings of Japanese vistas and a few props on the raised platform took pride of place at the front of the room. But there was also a long walkway that extended out into the audience, right through all the pits where the audience was sitting on the ground.

Arthur felt the door shut behind him, and although the sound was slight, some nearby patrons looked over at the noise and focused on him.

They were not human.

Now Arthur understood why this theatre was in such a strange place. It was no normal theatre. Although he was nervous – and a little scared, if he was honest with himself – Arthur still felt relieved. Because he had been right: Alfred was too special for an ordinary tea house or theatre like the others in Yoshiwara. A place like this made much more sense for someone as magnificent as the American obviously must be.

For some reason, the patrons who spotted Arthur began to whisper amongst themselves, looking at him pointedly, not caring at all how rude they were being. Maybe they were not used to regular humans, or westerners, coming to these special shows on this secluded island?

Arthur fidgeted with his sword handle, and wondered if he should just take a seat where he stood. He was in one of the low pits, two sections away from the main stage. He could settle himself down and avoid being noticed, but he really wanted to be near that walkway in case Alfred should come by there during his performance.

"Um, excuse me?"

Arthur looked up just as a small, pale green winged-rabbit floated down into his vision.

"What's your name?" the rabbit asked in a squeaky little voice. It sounded young, almost childlike.

"Arthur Kirkland," he replied, bowing.

The rabbit seemed to giggle, and looked like it was smiling. It seemed so much like an ordinary rabbit – save for the wings and the colour of its fur, of course – but its facial expressions somehow seemed human.

"Alfred mentioned you might be coming tonight. I was hoping to meet you! Would you care to sit with me for the show?"

Arthur smiled, actually relieved that someone had taken him under their wing (literally, as it happened), even if that 'someone' was a flying green rabbit.

"That would be wonderful, thank you very much."

The rabbit flew up to the walkway right where Arthur had wanted to sit. Although it wasn't a big creature it managed to shoo away a nearby creature (green and scaly, with a strange bald patch on its head) and make space for itself and Arthur.

"Aren't you nervous around all these weird creatures?" asked the rabbit, as Arthur sat down and crossed his legs neatly.

"Yes, but we are all here to watch a play. I'm sure that no matter what some of these...people get up to in their daily lives, the theatre is still a haven from all that. They obviously have things they want to escape, too, just like humans who come to the theatre."

The rabbit eyed him, looking far too wise and calculating for a fluffy little creature with floppy ears.

"Alfred was right about you," the rabbit said finally.

Arthur blushed, and the rabbit laughed outright this time.

"I'll do my best," it said, out of the blue.

Arthur was confused, but then a hush fell over the crowd. All manner of goblins, animal-people, a fair few of those '_kitsune_', and countless, unnameable others settled down in their seats or on the floor as a few actors arrived on stage.

"I hope I'm not ...offending, but would you like to sit on my shoulder or...head or something?" Arthur whispered to the rabbit. "Can you see down there?"

The rabbit smiled at him and hopped up on to the shoulder of his pristine white uniform. They shared a smile and then the show began.

For a while there were two men talking, both wearing huge costumes that made them appear larger than life. One was obviously some sort of warrior, with bold red and black make-up painted onto his pure white face. Another was wearing a white fox mask and dressed in pure, snowy robes. The gestures and the facial expressions of the warrior were big and bold, easy to see and understand from anywhere in the grand room. Arthur suddenly understood the immense power of _kabuki_ - it was strong, it was fierce, it could capture an audience even in a huge room like this. He, himself, was already enraptured, and wishing to experience more of the power of kabuki, even if it must be in a strange and intimidating theatre such as this one.

The winged-rabbit on his shoulder whispered into Arthur's ear that the actors were summarising the previous scenes.

It was a few minutes before Alfred arrived, and when he did, Arthur didn't see it coming. A portion of the stage had dropped away and risen again, revealing Alfred raised higher above the other actors. It wasn't magic, but with the way Arthur lost himself in the play it certainly felt like it. Alfred wore the same kimono as when Arthur had met him earlier: a big black shining shadow of material, all covered in red and gold flowers with swirls sweeping and curling around the fabric. Unlike the other actors, who clearly wore elaborate black wigs, Alfred kept his long golden ponytail which flowed magnificently over his black robes with every dramatic turn of his body. He wore a black fox mask on his head. His face had been covered in white powder, and there were red lines sweeping down from his eyes towards his cheeks. Some red paint on his lips, too, gave him the appearance of a bold frown, or wide smile depending on how he moved his mouth. He made a strange sight, but still devastatingly beautiful and amazing to behold.

A murmur of sound sprang up around the crowd at Alfred's appearance. He must be a popular actor, Arthur thought. He was sure it wasn't just because of his unique hair, but because he was a skilled actor. Arthur couldn't wait to see him shine.

"Now the _kitsune_ woman, Alfred's character, is going to meet with her human lover," the green rabbit whispered in Arthur's ear.

Alfred spoke with a man on stage who was obviously the _kitsune_'s evil human husband judging by his angry make-up, his outrageous actions, and the "boo"s thrown at him by the crowd. It seemed that the audience was perfectly within its right to shout and jeer as much as they wished during a performance.

After their exchange and the husband's exit, Alfred ran out on to the walkway, headed straight for Arthur. The Briton was so captivated following Alfred's every moment that he didn't notice the actor portraying human lover had appeared at the other end of the walkway, too. Alfred rushed towards him, his body movements looking for all the world like those of a lost and desperate woman. His make-up and clothes may have been exaggerated, but the way he moved brought the character to life so naturally it was amazing to see.

Alfred the _kitsune_-woman and the human lover talked on the walkway in the middle of the audience for a while. And Arthur couldn't help but notice leers from those members of the crowd who were close to the stage and to Alfred. Perhaps he was popular not just for his skill as an actor, then... Arthur had not wanted to believe it, but he suspected that Alfred might have another job besides 'actor' and 'tea house host.' He had heard stories that men could sell their bodies in Yoshiwara, too. And if they had not been raised to believe it was wrong, who would resist Alfred? Besides, these creatures were not human, maybe they didn't have the same rules.

But Alfred with someone...like them? Not even human? It made Arthur's stomach churn and his heart burn in anger.

The evil husband appeared on the walkway, catching the two lovers in the act. The crowd began to roar, and the winged-rabbit whispered to Arthur that the evil husband was forbidding the _kitsune_-woman from seeing her lover again.

The lover disappeared in an impressive display of smoke and silk flags, and the husband backed off behind the stage. Alfred was left alone on the walkway, close enough that Arthur could have touched the trailing ends of his kimono.

The crowd was murmuring excitedly, and Arthur began looking around, trying to see what they were so excited about.

"_'Mie_,'" the rabbit breathed into Arthur's ear, the little animal's breath tickling his skin. "It's a moment in kabuki when the actor has to find the perfect pose to show us everything his character is feeling right now. It's incredible when an actor can manage it right! Come on, Alfred!"

Sure enough, Alfred began to move, slowly but surely arranging his body to lay bare his character's emotions to the audience. He knelt down, raising his arms to the ceiling and, after a moment, carefully twisted his body round, rotating on the spot, to show the crowd all around him. His eyes were closed, his mouth downturned so that the exaggerations of the make-up made it look like a devastated frown. When he was done turning in a full circle, Alfred twisted, and crumpled until his body was almost folded in on itself, just his hand still reaching out, one to the sky, and one clutching at the ground.

All around them the crowd was crying Alfred's name with strong Japanese accents. "_Jyonzu-ya_! _Jyonzu-ya_!" There were a fair few non-human shouts thrown in there, too – roars, shrieks and whinnies and all manner of strange sounds.

Arthur himself just clapped, staring in awe at Alfred, whose face was almost facing him. He had never seen a performance so moving, even though he didn't understand a word.

There was a flurry of activity on stage as some actors danced out with more streamers, perhaps to shield Alfred as he disappeared from the stage. But before they got out onto the walkway, there was a roar from somewhere right behind Arthur's place in the crowd.

He turned, a hand coming up instinctively to shield the little green rabbit on his shoulder.

Two...creatures...were arguing. One looked like a goblin from a book of fairytales Arthur had read once – its body a sickly brown colour, fat stomach spilling over his small loin cloth, a wide jaw and large, jagged teeth on full display as it fought with its neighbour. The other looked human enough except that his neck began to get longer, and his mouth to open unnaturally wide, like a snake's when it dislocates its jaw to feed.

Arthur didn't understand what was happening, but then the goblin creature leapt to his feet and darted forward, reaching straight for Alfred.

Not even stopping to think, Arthur jumped up, drew his sword, and stood between Alfred and the goblin. The creature was almost twice his size, Arthur now realised, and could easily have pushed him aside or snapped him in half. But he could not allow this behaviour, least of all where Alfred was concerned. He was not scared, because even amongst such a strange crowd, he was sure this was the right thing to do.

He could feel Alfred's staring at him from behind, and everyone else's eyes in the big, vast room were on him. More mutters and whispers swept the audience, but Arthur didn't need to understand the language to know they were probably talking about how foolish he was to take on such a creature.

The little green rabbit flew up to the goblin, speaking to it quickly in Japanese as it hovered up by one of the beast's tiny ears. Whatever the rabbit said must have done the trick, as the goblin bowed low to Arthur, then to Alfred who was standing up behind him now, and finally returned to his seat.

As the goblin sat down, Arthur noticed Kiku, the theatre owner, standing in the doorway where he had left Arthur earlier. He had two pointed, furry ears on his head now, and three bushy tails, all of deep black, sticking out from his robes. So he was a _kitsune_, too.

A hand landed on Arthur's shoulder, making him jump. "It's all right, Arthur. It's just me."

Arthur turned and looked up into Alfred's eyes, the American appearing even taller as he stood on the raised walkway above him. Arthur's heart was pounding, he felt sick and worried over Alfred's safety, and also scared that he'd never be allowed to return. Or maybe that Alfred would hate him. But one look from those bright blue eyes, and Alfred told him it was all okay.

"You did well, Arthur. Thank you for protecting me. I mean it."

Arthur nodded, and Alfred let his hand trail up Arthur's neck a little to brush the tips of Arthur's scruffy hair, before he pulled himself away. "No harm will come to you for what you did. You can be sure of that."

Whether he meant that Kiku, the owner, owed him for protecting Alfred, or that the goblin would be sent away, Arthur wasn't sure. But he trusted Alfred's words. And he didn't know why. Surely, Alfred was not a bad person, but Arthur had never been so quick to trust anyone.

"I must go," said Alfred. "Thank you for coming tonight. I will see you next time."

Arthur wanted to ask if he could see Alfred after the show, but the words never made it out before Alfred was whisking himself away backstage and out of sight.

Arthur stared after him for several long moments, until he became aware that eyes were upon him. Many eyes, all around the room. Creatures big and small,

"Arthur?"

Arthur sat down, tense and alive with adrenaline, and turned to the winged-rabbit. "Alfred is lucky to have you," the rabbit said, perching itself on Arthur's knee and looking up at him with all the sincerity a rabbit could muster. "He deserves you, too. Please stay with him until he's safe and happy? Don't let him tell you to leave, don't let him do what he thinks is for the best. _You_ make sure it all works out. He's done and suffered enough already. He needs you now."

Arthur nodded, not really having time to consider what he was promising – because somehow, he knew he had already made that promise to himself.

* * *

**A/N:**

Forgot to add in the first chapter that I need to give a big shout out to sweet-land-of-libertea on tumblr for helping me with the research. She's been an IMMENSE help, and guided me to finding lots of information and details I needed. So THANK YOU, Libertea! If this story sucks it has nothing to do with her, she provided me with the awesome information and I messed it up... OTL

**Historical Notes**

**scarlet arches** = these are _torii_ gtes, but Arthur doesn't know the name. At this time of hitory they would be made of wood, painted vermilion, and they are incredibly striking all year round. Some Japanese Buddhist temples have _torii_, but they're found mostly at Shinto shrines, as they mark the passage from the mundane to sacred ground. They are found at the entrance of even the smallest local shrines, but a shrine dedicated to Inari (the fox god who governs rice and business) could have many which are donated by successful businesses. One particularly famous example is the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto, which has over 10,000 torii gates winding all over the lower mountain of the Shinto shrine site. It's absolutely amazing, and I recommend you look it up online.

**Kabuki** = a type of theatre in Japan which was popular for ordinary people, rather than thought of as being an elite or high-class form of etnertainment. The audience were allowed to get rowdy, there was drinking and eating, and even shouting at performers. (I'm kind of imagining it like a mix betwen the groundlings in Shakespeare's time, and modern day panto...)

**Love suicide **= a common genre/plot for kabuki, made popular by a playwright named Chikamatsu. Two lovers who cannot be together on earth kill themselves, or die in other ways, and are together in the afterlife.

**the stage** = the stage in kabuki had a walkway that extended into the audience, and some of the action would take place there. There were LOTS of special effect, it seemed, including hooks and ropes atatched to clothes to make characters fly, revolving stage, secret platforms that could lower and raise, etc.

**"_Jonzuya!_**" = during certain moments of a show, an actor may have to strike a dramatic pose (called "_mie_") to convey his character's emotions to the audience. If he did it really well, the audience would shout out the actor's special kabuki name, or his father's name if they REALLY wanted to praise him. And they add "ya" on the end. Alfred is a unique member of the kabuki guild as he is a westerner, so they haven't given him a guild name to integrate him with the Japanese actors. He is separate. So they shout out "Jones-ya" to praise him for his acting.

**red make-up** = in kabuki, black make-up is used for negative traits, so you'll see it on villains. Red is for postitive characteristics like love, righteousness and heroism, so Alfred is obviously playing a good character. (Although Arthur isn't to know this.)

_**onnagata**_ = a young man (usually teenager) playing a woman's role in kabuki. Women had been allowed to do kabuki in the 17th century, and there were even whole troupes made up solely of women. But then they were banned from performing because actresses usually doubled as prostitutes and it got out of hand. So men took over, and young boys did the female roles (similar to Shakespeare's plays in his time). However, banning women from performing didn't do much to curb prostitution, as the young boys/teenagers who took their places were also pursued and desired by patrons and still doubled as prostitutes (like Alfred in this story).

**a day of kabuki **= one kabuki show might last all day. (Even now, when I first looked into going to one myself, I think it was about 7 hours, with some breaks.) There are breaks in between the 5 acts, but it's a looooong event. So Arthur will not get to see the whole story if he can only stay for a little while.


	3. Third

~ * Third * ~

"Arthur. It's good to see you."

Alfred made it sound so sincere, as if they hadn't just seen each other last night. As if they were more than just mere acquaintances and Alfred had genuinely missed him.

He certainly was a good actor, a brilliant addition to the working men and women of Yoshiwara. If Alfred had been a woman, Arthur knew he would already have fallen under the spell trying to entrap him, making him believe he was really wanted here, so he would spend all his money on a dream, a fantasy.

Even as it was, with both of them being men, Arthur could tell it was working.

To take his mind off that, he looked away from Alfred and finally noticed the fully-laden cherry trees framing the island. For a second he was alert and suspicious, wondering how they had blossomed overnight. Then he remembered that this was a magical place. And besides, it was quite possible that he had just been too involved in Alfred's story telling last night to notice the blossoms around the theatre.

They were beautiful, even in the dark of night. They glowed pink from the light of the lanterns shining through the pale, thin petals - exploring every shade of pink from almost bright fucshia to pastel and near-white. The trees were all low, as if they couldn't grow taller with such a heavy load of flowers weighing them down. The blossoms were small themselves, but there were so many. It looked like you could be crushed and drowned if you stayed under the canopy too long.

"I thought I could introduce you to the tradition of _hanami_," said Alfred, coming to stand by Arthur and join him in staring at the canopy of cherry blossoms. "It's one of the most important and beloved times of year in Japan. We get dressed up and picnic under the _sakura_ blossoms with friends. At night, the past-time is called _yozakura_. We drink and make merry...and I would like you to join us."

Arthur finally looked back at Alfred and nodded. "Thank you. That's very generous of you."

Alfred hadn't smiled yet, and it was a little strange to see him so serious. He was hard to read at the best of times, but still, Arthur couldn't help but feel that there was something on his mind.

"You look very handsome in your uniform," Alfred announced out of the blue. Arthur blushed furiously, pinker than any of the _sakura_ flowers, and finally Alfred chuckled. "But I was wondering..." he continued. "People often wear traditional Japanese clothes for _yozakura_ and _hanami_. Would you like to...try something on for the evening?"

Arthur's eyes widened and he honestly wasn't sure if he wanted to say yes or not. It would make Alfred happy, but he would stand out and feel awkward.

"I'll take good care of you," Alfred said, a sly smile tugging up a corner of his mouth. With the red sweep of make-up elongating his eyes, he looked inhuman right now. Not like a monster but just...something untouchable, something that didn't belong around someone like Arthur. Arthur didn't want to feel so separate from him.

"All right."

Alfred led him into one of the smaller buildings of the estate and up a narrow flight of stairs into an empty room with paper walls. There was only a painting of a tree on the wall, and a few parasols lying in a corner. Besides that there was no furniture or decoration at all.

A handful of servants arrived bearing bags and packages, and as they opened it all up on the floor, Arthur realised it was a _kimono_ like Alfred's. He wasn't sure if they were specifically women's clothes or not. Many people in Japan wore fine robes, of course, but he never saw anyone dressed exactly like Alfred. His clothes certainly looked more like the women's robes in Yoshiwara than the men's, but all the women wore far more layers under their silk _kimono_. Alfred usually wore just one or two thin robes, tied loosely so that the collar fell open to reveal a bit more of his bare chest, unlike anyone else.

Arthur was nervous, not wanting to make a fool of himself by wearing something inappropriate. But if Alfred was picking it out for him, it must be okay. He decided to trust him, no matter how awkward he felt in these clothes. He had to show Alfred that he had an ally if he was looking for one.

The British sailor removed his coat and trousers and let the servants wrap him up in a thin black gown. It was tight around his middle, and clung to his legs, but it hung loose about his shoulders and revealed his toned chest, just like Alfred's style of clothes. Then the girls slipped a blue silk kimono over top, patterned with pale blue blossoms and a few white geometric diamonds. Alfred's, also, was covered in flowers tonight, and was a deep red, as usual. Arthur thought there must be some mistake as he'd been a given a robe that was far too long - but soon the servants began folding it up around his middle so that the hem reached his ankles, leaving his feet clearly visible.

When the girls had finished tying the gown around Arthur's waist, it was tight and restrictive in places, but still left some of his chest bare. It was different to his Royal Navy clothes in so many ways. Although his uniform was stiff and pristine and restrictive, he could still feel his body, each limb where it was supposed to be, and his legs were able to stretch and move. But in this kimono, despite the fact that it was just a few layers of robes, he felt like his body was lost and hidden amongst the fabric, even from himself. It was very strange, but made him feel graceful, and he found himself standing tall rather than hiding in on himself.

The servants brought Alfred some small boxes of red paint and a few brushes, and the American moved to stand before Arthur. The Briton closed his eyes, blushing furiously, and felt Afred sweep a brush across the corner of his eyelid towards his temple. The same happened on the other side, and then there was a brush against his lower lip, just the slightest dab.

"You look wonderful, Arthur."

Arthur opened his eyes and found himself looking at his reflection. He could _feel_ how different he must look in these clothes, but it was still a surprise to see it. He didn't look like himself at all, even though his face was clearly visible. The kimono changed him and he felt...different. He should have been able to feel just the same as always, no matter what clothes he was wearing. But something so Japanese, so foreign, made everything feel different.

"Your hair is a little short so...I have something for you."

Alfred was smirking, and Arthur wondered what on earth he had up his sleeve now. Alfred opened up one of the packages on the ground and Arthur peered over him to see. It looked like a clump of golden grass...

"You need longer hair, so I wove this for you out of reeds. _Yoshiwara_ means "reed moor", but the _kanji_ can also be written to say "joyful moor." Which people around here find amusing for obvious reasons."

He stepped around behind Arthur, and the Englishman felt a bit of tugging and playing with his hair. Finally there was a click, and Alfred stepped away, holding up a mirror so Alfred could see the reflection of the back of his head in the mirror before him.

He blushed again when he realised that the reeds really did look a lot like his scruffy, scarecrow hair, and Alfred laughed at his indignant face.

"Uncanny, isn't it. You look like you could be a spirit of the reed moor itself!"

Arthur reached behind himself to touch the reed ponytail, but Alfred caught his hand, making Arthur jump.

"Come. We don't have all night."

Arthur didn't see why not, but Alfred always seemed to be rushing them around and disappearing quickly on their evenings together. Arthur didn't even get to see him after the show last night. Which reminded him...

"Last night! At the show..."

"Thank you again for protecting me," said Alfred, as he and Arthur set off outside and back across the long wooden bridge to the main area of Yoshiwara. "Rumours have spread and now everyone is saying there is a fearsome spirit watching over the foreigner Alfred F. Jones," the American laughed softly.

"But - "

"it's all right, Arthur. I was in no real danger. Sometimes the patrons can get a little riled up over who will be seeing the actors after the show," Alfred interrupted, answering Arthur's question before he even had time to ask.

"After the show?" Arthur asked, his heart sinking and twisting painfully at the same time.

Alfred looked at him sidelong and nodded, silently.

Arthur looked down at the shadowy ground, trying to focus on walking on his new sandals, with his legs wrapped up in the robe. He didn't want to think about Alfred after the show, didn't want to acknowledge any of that part of the American's job.

"Kiku makes sure I don't see anyone I'm not comfortable with," Alfred said, breaking the silence and only hurting Arthur more at having to hear such things. "I'm popular enough that I can afford to be picky. But, Arthur...it's not as horrible as you think."

"God told us not to lay with other men," said Arthur staring pointedly at the ground and trying to hold in the tears he could feel burning his eyes. The thought of Alfred being reduced to a life like that, and trying to get Arthur to join in...

"If you had been born here, would you have known that?" asked Alfred, his voice level, not accusatory. "Would you have found _your_ God despite living on the other side of the world where His word holds no weight? Where people had never even heard of Him? If you were raised differently, if your parents and society and emperor had no problem with men finding pleasure and affection in someone like them...would you still care? I thought you said that that you were no one to judge which culture had it right."

They walked in silence for the rest of the bridge. Rain was falling again, soft and light as snow causing little 'drip' and 'pitter patter' sounds on the lake. Only a few stray drops made it through the thin gaps between the great arches covering the bridge, but Alfred held the umbrella for them anyway - a big red one again, looking so much like the moon on the horizon.

Finally they arrived at the back gate of Yoshiwara. It opened for them without command, and Alfred led Arthur down the main street of _Naka-no-chou_. It was alive with people, even more so than usual, although Arthur hadn't thought it possible.

Filing down the centre of the main street were a long line of trees, all laden with their heavy burden of flowers. And swarming around them were the masses of pleasure-seekers and givers of Yoshiwara.

Arthur barely recognised the crowd, though, as he gazed in wonder at the cherry trees. Some branches stuck out here and there with only a few perfect blossoms decorating the wood, and Arthur wished he could capture their beauty. It was too magnificent to leave behind, to know that it wouldn't be around forever. It almost broke Arthur's heart to think that all these blossoms would die, and that it would be another year before new ones were born. He felt like each and very one sould be cherishes. And he'd probably never get to see them again when he had to leave for England. It was too painful to think of never seeing such beauty again. He almost wished he'd never seen the flowers at all.

"I can see by your expression that you already understand the beauty and tragedy of _sakura_," said Alfred softly. Arthur still heard him over the laughing crowd, countless Japanese people rushing about around them with drinks and food on sticks, men and women in elaborate clothes stumbling about the street, drunk on _sake_.

"They are lovely. But they make me sad for some reason," Arthur admitted.

"That feeling is known as _oshimu_. You feel regret that the flowers can't last, that we can do nothing to keep their beauty and purity alive. But there is a sense of life and hope and continuity, too. They will be back next year. It will be dark and lonely without the _sakura_ but they will come back for us."

Arthur couldn't decide if he hated or loved the _sakura_. It was a terrible mix of both and he could barely stand it. He wanted nothing more than to look away from the _sakura_ and never turn back, but at the same time he felt it was wrong to turn away and miss them when they were only here for such a fleeting moment in time.

Luckily, Alfred drew him away from the trees and bought them some treats at a vendor. He handed Arthur a smooth pink crescent moon made of something that looked like raw dough. It was slightly powdery, a pale pink like many of the blossoms that night, and wrapped up in a green leaf.

"_Sakuramochi_," Alfred explained as they went to stand under one of the trees. "A popular sweet during _hanami_ and _yozakura_."

Arthur waited for Alfred to take a bite, wondering if he was actually meant to eat the leaf, and followed his example. It didn't taste of much, but was ever so slightly sweet.

"It is made of rice, pounded smooth and flat," Alfred explained, smiling fondly at Arthur's hesitant little nibbles. "If you take a bigger bite, there is sweet red bean called _anko_ inside."

Sure enough, when Arthur took a larger bite, he found a very sweet red paste inside, a little lumpy with the skin of the beans, and truly delicious. He closed his eyes to focus more on the taste. And in doing so, he found himself seeing much more of the night than he had with his eyes open.

Now that he was not so busy focusing on himself and Alfred, he heard the excited clamour of the crowds out enjoying _yozakura_. It made him smile just hearing how happy everyone seemed to be. He couldn't imagine life in Yoshiwara was easy for anyone, but tonight the people seemed free. _Sakura_ really was special to them.

He felt a fresh breeze carress his face, sweeping a few rain drops onto his face as it drifted past. But the cool water felt refreshing, too - even appropriate for a night dedicated to enjoying the beauty of nature.

He heard the flowers above him rustling as they brushed against each other in the slight wind. It sounded like whispers, and he could have sworn he heard voices above him in the flowers, but that must be his imagination. Unless it was another spirit of Yoshiwara like the ones he'd been seeing the past two nights. He wouldn't be surprised to find the majestic _sakura_ trees had spirits of their own, like the fox people, and the winged rabbit. There was something so completely magical about these trees, that Arthur decided he was almsot certain of it.

A sudden touch to his face startled him. It felt like a finger trip brushing his forehead, but when he opened his eyes, Alfred was still holding the last of his _sakuramochi_. The American was smiling at him, warm and genuine.

Alfred tucked the last of his _sakuramochi_ into his mouth and reached out, smiling. "You're covered in petals."

The American reached out and picked a few pale blossoms out of Arthur's hair, and finally off of his forehead where Arthur had felt the petal's touch moments ago.

Arthur found himself so focused on Alfred's eyes that he didn't notice the other step closer. He only realised what was about to happen when he felt Alfred's hand reach back and brush his reed ponytail.

"You're not a client, Arthur."

Arthur stared at him, his heart thundering so loud he couldn't hear his own thoughts or decide what to say.

Alfred pulled the umbrella lower, shielding them from the eyes of the crowds on _Naka-no-chou_. Here under the _sakura_ blossoms and the umbrella, pressed close to the trunk of a cherry tree, they were far away from everyone.

"I've never wanted anything," Alfred continued, stroking Arthur's ponytail and hair and then letting his fingers trail down to Arthur's cheek. "But you make me want _everything_. So much more than I ever thought there was. I know it's alarming for you...but I need you. Will you help me?"

Arthur found himself nodding before he even gave it a thought. "I will do anything I can for you, Alfred."

Alfred looked down at the ground, smiling happily and looking so much younger than he had appeared the last few days. "Thank you. I knew I could count on you. I always can."

And again, before Arthur even had time to think about it, they were leaning in to each other and letting their lips meet. As if everything about this moment were as natural as the cherry blossoms and was always meant to happen.

It was slow and careful. Arthur had never kissed anyone before, and Alfred seemed to sense that. The Englishman almost worried that he was embarrassing himself, or that Alfred was irritated at his lack of experience. But Alfred wasn't doing anything to change the way they touched, just letting their lips rest gently against each other, as if for support.

When they finally drifted apart, a mere breath of space between them, Arthur opened his eyes to find Alfred looking down at him so intensely it made him shiver more than the kiss had.

"I'm sorry for forcing this upon you," Alfred whispered. The red make-up around his eyes once again highlighted the sadness in his blue eyes. "I'm sorry for all of it. Turning your world upside down, making you see things you can't understand, making you feel things you thought were wrong. But _thank you_, Arthur. Thank you for staying with me. I'm so lucky I met you."

He looked so genuinely sad and sorry, like he really felt bad for opening up Arthur's world. Arthur couldn't allow it. Feeling stronger and braver for Alfred's sake, Arthur reached out and took Alfred's long ponytail in his hand. He held it gently across his palm, running his hand down the smooth, golden strands of hair.

"If it means I got to meet you and help you, I don't care what happens to me. I'll be here for you." It sounded like a sacrifice, but really Arthur felt lucky to say it. It was all he wanted to be able to help Alfred and make him happy.

Something about his words made tears bubble up in Alfred's eyes. There was only a second for Arthur to notice the shining water before it was spilling over and down Alfred's cheeks. He quickly reached out and wrapped his arms around Alfred's shoulders, tugging the taller man to his chest to comfort him. Once again, whatever he'd said had been the wrong thing to say, and he didn't know why. But as long as Alfred knew he was here for him, maybe he'd feel better. He hoped so.

He didn't know what he could do to help Alfred. He didn't know why someone like this magnificent American would need to rely on a lowly man like Arthur. But he would be here. Whatever Alfred needed from him, Arthur would make sure to give it.

They were still little more than strangers; they'd only known each other for three days. But Arthur already knew that Alfred was important to him. And looking up over Alfred's bowed head at the pale, perfect _sakura_ blossoms waving at him in the night breeze, Arthur knew he would protect Alfred in the way he couldn't protect the flowers. He would make sure Alfred blossomed and lasted for as long as he lived. That was his mission now.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Historical Notes**

_**hanami **_= a centuries old tradition of flower viewing in spring. Used to be just for the elite, but by this point in time, it had become popular for normal people in the city, too. This was one of the only times of year when the women working in Yoshiwara were allowed out of the district's walls - so they could head to a park and view _sakura_. Night time _hanami_ is called **_yozakura_**. It usually involves a bit more _sake_ (rice-based alcohol), but is pretty much the same thing, just picnicing under the blooming trees.

**Yoshiwara** = the original location of the first Yoshiwara was on a moor with lots of reeds. So the district was named _Yoshiwara_ ("reed moor") after the landscape. However, that first Yoshiwara burned down. There were many fires in Edo because almost every building was made of wood. The "New Yoshiwara" at the north end of Edo city (the one where Alfred lives) was not built on a moor, but they kept the name. If you change the strokes slightly for one of the _kanji_ in "Yoshiwara", it becomes "Pleasure Moor" which is oddly appropriate considering Yoshiwara is a red-light district.

_**sakuramochi **_= a classic _hanami_ treat. In my experience, mochi is very chewy and doesn't really taste of anything, yuo just have the filling inside or maybe some kind of sauce outside to give it flavour.


	4. Fourth

~ * Fourth * ~

"Arthur!"

Arthur brushed his wet hair out of his face and peered through the sheet of rain towards the blue blur coming towards him. Of course it was Alfred.

"I'm so sorry I'm late! Kiku kept me behind." He reached Arthur and held out his umbrella over the soaking sailor, concern etched all over his face in place of the make-up he usually wore. "Quick, let's get you back to the island."

He took Arthur's hand, and the two of them ran all the way across the bridge through the tunnel of _torii_ arches, over the troubled water of the lake that rippled and called out as it was struck by the rain.

Arthur didn't have much time to take in their surroundings. He could only follow as Alfred led him into one of the many buildings surrounding the _kabuki_ theatre on the strange island behind Yoshiwara. It was a bigger builing this time, that looked as if it had many rooms. "This is where I live mostly, along with the others in the theatre guild" Alfred explained, as they took off their shoes in the foyer and headed upstairs. "It's raining this evening so I can't show you anything exciting tonight. I thought we could just stay in and...talk."

Arthur nodded, still a little hazy from finding himself so damp and soggy. Had he really left the main city tonight without an umbrella, even though it had been raining on and off all week? How stupid of him. And why had he just waited out in the open for Alfred instead of at least finding shelter beneath a doorway?

"In here," Alfred said, sliding open a paper door and bowing as Arthur entered first. "My room."

Arthur instantly stiffened at that comment. _Alfred's room._ This suddenly felt like a much more personal visit than the last three, even though he came to Yoshiwara for Alfred each time.

Once inside the room, Alfred's body relaxed. His flustered rush to get them inside seemed to settle down, and a calm fell over them. It was only now that the two men finally took the time to look at each other.

Alfred was a little dryer than Arthur for having been carrying his umbrella, but his hair was still bedraggled, and the hem of his blue _kimono_ (the very one Arthur had been wearing yesterday, it seemed) was sodden with the splashes of the puddles outside. He had no make-up on, and what with the rain on his face, it looked like he had been washed clean. He suddenly looked different to how Arthur had seen him so far. For the first time, Arthur noticed the strong shape of his jaw and his high cheek bones and his tanned skin, all more natural without the make-up he usually wore. His bright blue eyes finally seemed to fit his face. And his expression was not the guarded, serene or calm barricade he usually had up to act like the other Japanese courtesans. He was panting with the effort of running, his lip twitching up in a smile as he took in Arthur's own bedraggled appearance...

He looked like the _real_ Alfred whom Arthur had been hoping to see for so long. Not a job, an act, or an effort of keeping up appearances and fitting in. Here was a man named Alfred F. Jones, acting like himself in the privacy of his room. Arthur wondered how many people actually knew him properly.

It made Arthur's heart ache pieringly to realise how alone Alfred probably was here. He didn't think he was good enough to be important to someone like this stunning American _kagema_ - but maybe Alfred needed a friend so desperately that even Arthur would do. Which was fine, because Arthur had sworn to protect him and be there for him.

Alfred was laughing. "You're a mess, Arthur."

Arthur blushed and grinned back, plucking at his soaking wet uniform which was clinging to him tightly. "I can't believe I didn't bring my umbrella. How stupid of me. I do apologise for getting your floor all wet." He looked down as he spoke, hopping back to stop himself from dripping too long in one place and creating a puddle on the woven straw mats or the futon set laid out on the floor.

He didn't have time to look up again before Alfred was saying "I'll fetch you clean clothes. Please wait here." It had sounded cold, so Arthur glanced up quickly. But Alfred was gone.

Arthur knew he would have to get undressed to change, but he didn't feel right about doing it here. What if Alfred came back and was horrified? Maybe, _hopefully_, there was somewhere private to change.

But when Alfred returned, he simply placed a pile of blue fabric on the floor and began unwrapping the tie holding his own kimono around his waist.

"Ah!" Arthur blurted out, knowing he had to speak up, but not quite sure what to say. Alfred looked up innocently.

"Um, is there somewhere..." Arthur trailed off as Alfred raised an eyebrow at him and smirked.

"Just change here. It's like going to an _onsen_."

"_Onsen_?"

Alfred blinked at him, hands frozen in place, the robe almost slipping off his body.

"You don't have _onsen_ in England?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, I won't know unless you tell me what it is," Arthur retorted.

"It's a natural hot spring. Oh, but of course! England has no volcanoes, so you wouldn't have _onsen_," Alfred corrected himself. "Well, here in Japan, _onsen_ are very important. We go there all the time to relax, and some waters can help heal aches or sicknesses. It's like a big bath with lots of people."

Arthur's face burned red and he clutched his uniform tighter around his chest. "Bathing with other people? In the _nude_?"

Alfred laughed. "No need to sound so horrified. It's just a bath. And nudity isn't so inappropriate in the bath, or when you're changing to bathe. So don't worry about it right now. You're just getting out of your wet clothes - that's not so rude, is it?"

He offered Arthur a warm smile, that was, despite the situation, encouraging. Despite Alfred's seedier job, Arthur could tell he wasn't trying to pressure or trick him into anything right now. He really _did_ just want Arthur to change out of his uncomfortable wet clothes, like any decent host would.

He even turned his back on Arthur to give the man some privacy. Arthur did the same, turning around and unstrapping his scabbard, sword and belt, tugging off his wet coat and trousers, and even some of his other layers that had dampened in the downpour. He bent down to pick up the blue material Alfred had laid out on the floor, and unfolded it. It was a very simple looking blue cotton robe, a little like the black one Arthur had worn last night underneath his blue kimono.

He slipped it on over his under clothes, and tied it hastily round his middle. The fabric was hanging off him haphazardly and he knew he was wearing it wrong. He turned round to Alfred, and saw the man still with his back to him. Alfred was reaching up to the back of his head, and tugged at the red ribbon keeping up his ponytail. It came loose, and Alfred's damp hair spilled out onto his back.

He turned round, and caught Arthur staring. He smiled sheepishly and fiddled with his wet hair. "It's not so nice right now. Sorry if I look a bit messy this evening."

"It's quite all right. I'm sure I look a fright myself," Arthur smiled. He tugged at his blue robes and looked up at Alfred. "I don't suppose..."

Alfred chuckled and stepped forward. Arthur raised his hands away from his middle as Alfred undid the sash around his waist. The robe hung open, baring Arthur's underclothes to the American _kagema_. Arthur sucked in a breath and accidentally looked up into Alfred's face. But Alfred was smiling softly and looking down at his hands as he folded the robes properly around Arthur's waist and tied it back up for him. A sliver of his bare chest was visible, but otherwise he felt covered, and surprisingly warm.

"Listen to that rain," said Arthur, breaking the happy silence. Alfred finally looked up at him. "It's a shame, I always seem to arrive just as it begins to start. I'm sure Yoshiwara is even lovelier when it's clear. Maybe I'll...try to come in the day some time..."

Alfred frowned and nodded, looking away from Arthur and going to stand by the window. Arthur, feeling rather bold despite his flimsy clothes, joined him. They looked out of the circular window with it's wooden lattice into the summer night.

"Another red full moon," Arthur commented. "I say, the full moon seems to be lasting a long time this week. I know it can be 2 or 3 days but..." His voice died once again as he noticed the trees down below, only just visible in the light of the moon, as there were no lanterns lit on this rainy night. "The sakura flowers!" he exclaimed, leaning forward to get a closer look. "They're all gone! But the trees were blooming so beautifully last night!"

He looked at Alfred in confusion, and found the other man looking down at the window frame, plainly sad, judging by the unhappy turn of his mouth.

"The wind blew them all away into the night," he said. "It happens very quickly. One day they're here, the next they're gone. That's how it goes with sakura. ...I hate them."

Arthur looked at Alfred in surprise, his eyes wide. He had felt the same, too, when he first beheld the _sakura_ last night. But Alfred seemed to say it with such vehemence, such true anger. As if the sakura had personally done something to offend him.

"Alfred? What's wrong?"

Alfred scratched at the woodwork of the lattice until Arthur reached out and touched his arm. Then he looked up, and Arthur was surprised, once again, to see tears in the other's eyes.

"I told you that I never wanted anything before I met you," he said in a rush, his voice snagging painfully at the lump in his throat. It tugged at Arthur's heart, and made him grip harder on Alfred's arm, to let him know he was there. Alfred closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "I wasn't exactly happy, but I wasn't _un_happy, at least. I was fine being different and special because of my hair colour, and getting treated well because of that.

"But then...I met you, and...I realised that I hate all of it," Alfred confessed, voice earnest and fierce despite his trembling lips. "I'll never belong here. No matter how hard I train to be part of the theatre, or to be a good host at the tea house. It's not me. Not just because I'm not Japanese but because I don't think this is the kind of person I'm meant to be. But...I can't be sure because...I don't know who I really am. I've never had the chance to see."

Arthur was leaning in to kiss Alfred's cheek before he knew what he was doing. Again, like last night, he wrapped Alfred in his arms, and pressed their bodies close together. Alfred felt lonely on the inside, it seemed, and the least Arthur could do for now was show him he had the company of a another body.

He stroked Alfred's long hair as the American's shoulders shook and chest heaved as he tried to steady his breathing, choking back the occasional sob.

"Whatever I can do for you, I'll do it," Arthur promised softly into Alfred's hair. "I hardly know you, Alfred, but let me tell you something: from the moment I saw you it was plain to me that you are great. You are _magnificent_." Alfred's hands reached up to clutch the back of Arthur's robes, and Arthur shivered as he felt Alfred's nose press into the bare skin of his collarbone.

"Yes, you stood out because of your hair and the fact that you're obviously not Japanese. You're a surprise who turns heads. But...I could tell you were amazing anyway, beneath all that. And everything I've seen so far has only proved it to me. You are special for so much more than your golden hair, Alfred. You are brave and strong in the face of all those strange, supernatural creatures. You are patient and talented to have learnt all those arts that you use to entertain people here. You can communicate so well with all manner of people. You're intimidating but you don't seem scary. Whoever you are, you will find that Alfred F. Jones is great. He's a force of nature. You're just restricted here, in these walls around Yoshiwara.

"I don't think you belong here, either," Arthur admitted, hoping it didn't sound too disrespectful. "If you are happy, I won't encourage you to leave. But...this place isn't for you. I've never seen America but I hear it's big and open and beautiful...I want you to see it because I think you'll love it. I think it's just like you, the place where your parents are from. And even if you can't find a home there...I think you would love to travel. I want to - "

Before he could continue, Alfred's mouth was shoved against his, their lips moving much faster than last night's kiss, adding sounds and heavy breathing and a tense, expectant heat between them. Arthur's hand went up into Alfred's hair and held him close, and Alfred's arms were round the Englishman's waist, tugging their hips together.

"Arthur, I love you. I love you so much."

It took a moment for the words to settle in Arthur's mind. He heard them whispered between shared kisses, felt them as Alfred's sighing breath on his lips. But it took time for him to hear and understand.

When he did, his eyes went wide and he pulled back from Alfred, staring at him. Alfred looked a little shocked at the words himself, but the twitch of his eyebrows and the sparkle in his eyes proved to them both that he meant it. No matter how strange it may be.

"Is that what this is?" asked Arthur, his voice as light as his heart, barely anything more than a gasp. "I...It's so soon but I feel like...I know you so well already. Or rather, that I know I should stay with you and guard you and help you until you're happy. Has it been love all along?"

Alfred closed his eyes, and rested his head on Arthur's shoulder, still hugging his waist, but gently now.

"I think it is love, Arthur. I'm honoured."

Arthur smiled, finding it so strange that Alfred should be the one feeling lucky. Surely it was Arthur who didn't deserve Alfred? He rubbed his cheek slowly against Alfred's damp hair, closed his eyes and sighed deeply, happily. Now that he knew Alfred wanted to escape Yoshiwara, he could help. He could _do_ something.

"Arthur..."

"Yes, Alfred?"

"I know how to get out of Yoshiwara," Alfred said softly against the other's shoulder. "Kiku...At first, I thought he was just protective of me. But even when it's for my own good he won't let me leave. He doesn't actually care about me at all.

"But...I know a way to get out. I can get him to give me my freedom. Only..."

He cut himself off and his body beat with several deep breaths. Arthur didn't rush him, just kept stroking his hair with one hand, and carressing his back gently with the other.

"If I leave...I can't come with you."

That made Arthur start and pull back. Alfred's head fell away from his shoulder but he kept looking down. Arthur brought his fingers up to Alfred's chin and lifted it so they were looking each other in the eye, as much as Alfred tried to resist.

"I don't want to pressure you," said Arthur, staying calm for Alfred's sake. The American's eyes were flashing with all manner of fears and worries, and although Arthur, himself, felt like he'd just been stabbed in the heart, he didn't want to give Alfred any more trouble. "If you don't want to, or you can't - "

"I _want_ to!" Alfred exclaimed immediately clinging to Arthur's sleeve. "I _wish_ I could but it's impossible! I'm so _sorry_, Arthur! You must believe me!"

"I do," Arthr nodded quickly. "But...can you tell me why?" he asked, his voice level even as his heart crumbled inside him.

Alfred shook his head, his face twisted as he tried to hold back evident tears.

Arthur closed his eyes, not knowing whether he was angry or sad or something else enitrely. He just felt broken.

"I've seen strange things in Yoshiwara. I don't understand them at all," said Arthur quietly. "So if you are sure, if there is some reason you cannot come with me...I won't bring it up again. All I want is for you to get out and be happy, Alfred. If it cannot be with me...then so be it. Just know that I will always be ready to stand by your side."

Alfred was crying, and Arthur felt terrible for letting it happen. Even though he was just trying to help. It didn't look solely as if Alfred's tears were relieved, or happy, either. The way he was crying...he looked _devastated_. Like he'd just lost something important. He stayed quiet, though, bravely trying to control himself for Arthur's sake. But it was all a blow to the battered little remnants of Arthur's heart.

Arthur held Alfred's head in his hands and drew their faces closer together, leaving soft kisses on the American's temple and cheeks and lips.

"I'm sorry, Alfred. Please don't be sad. This is for the best - it's a good thing, isn't it?"

Alfred's hands suddenly gripped the back of Arthur's head so Alfred could smash their mouths together desperately. "I promise I'll be happy," he breathed heavily between kisses. "Even if it's hard, and I can't be with you, I promise I'll live a good life and make everything you've done worthwhile."

Arthur smiled at the other's fervour. He knew Alfred would keep those promises. The way Alfred suddenly started gripping him tightly, eyes clear of tears and gaze intense, his breathing calm, but long and deep - he meant every word.

"I know you will, Alfred F. Jones," he said. "And I'll be happy to have known you, even if it was brief."

Alfred tugged him away from the window finally, staring at him intently all the while.

"Can we be together now?" he asked, sounding almost nervous. "We don't have much time left."

"We _are_ together," said Arthur innocently, tilting his head in confusion.

"I meant..." Alfred blushed and looked away, then suddenly he lurched foward and wrapped Arthr in his arms. "Let's be together tonight. In this room. Can you...I know you're new to this but...can we have this? It's not wrong. We love each other. I love you, Arthur."

And suddenly Arthur realised what he was talking about. He understood it from the heat of Alfred's face pressed against his ear, the way his breath shuddered, the way his arms trembled around Arthur's body, and the way his heart thundered so hard through his thin blue garments that Arthur fancied he could feel it against his skin.

And for all those reasons, Arthur knew the other was sincere, and he wanted nothing more than to share his love with Alfred, too. Even if it had to be in a way that he had never imagined before.

"Yes," said Arthur, nudging Alfred's head away from his ear so they could kiss deeply, losing themselves in each other like their love was as saturating as the rain outside.

Alfred was guiding Arthur to lie down on the thin, firm futonin the middle of the bare room, and Arthur followed his silent instructions, blushing at being in such an open position. He'd certainly never done anything like this before, but even so, it still felt odd, against his natural instincts to be the one underneath. He knew what it meant.

But even so, he didn't care. He had already submitted everything to Alfred, and it all felt so natural. He wanted to give Alfred everything, and this was just something else he could be proud to offer. And besides, he _wanted_ this, too - to be closer to Alfred, even if it felt strange to think about.

He would just have to not think about. Just _do_, and let Alfred do _to_ him. It sounded wonderful, actually.

The American hovered over him, one side of his body pressed against Arthur's and the other raised up to give him some space and air. Their mouths were roving against one another, occasionally breaking for air only to dive right back into each other. Their legs were already so entangled that Arthur couldn't figure out which were his and which were Alfreds, he only knew that something was pressing into his groin and it felt thrilling.

Alfred let his hand trail down the glimpse of Arthur's bare chest where his robe fell away. He roamed further inside, right underneath the garment and back up over his pectorals and shoulder. Arthur's eyes blinked open as he gasped in air at the tickling brush of Alfred's fingertips against his warm skin. He met Alfred's gaze, and the other smiled at him, laughter in his eyes though he was too caught up right now for it to be able to escape his mouth, too.

Watching Arthur carefully, Alfred lowered his hand to the tie around Arthur's waist, running his hand over it gently, asking for permission. Arthur nodded, and watched as Alfred untied the wrap of fabric and slid open his robes.

Now Arthur was lying with his body exposed, but his arms still inside the robe. He struggled to see if he could get it off while lying down, but just ended up struggling around uselessly beneath Alfred. He stopped when he heard the American chuckling at him, almost giggling. He looked so much younger when he laughed. Which was wonderful to see, because Alfred had been looking older by the day since they had met.

"Here, let me help you," Alfred murmured in his ear. He sat back on Arthur's thighs and let Arthur raise himself up to pull his arms out of the robe. When he did so, Arthur suddenly felt extremely bare, sitting up on his elbows completely naked but for his underwear, with Alfred straddling his legs.

"Why are you wearing such long shorts under your clothes?" Alfred asked, head tilted like a curious puppy.

"T-these are my underthings!" Arthur stammered, face red, as well as his now bare neck.

"The English are strange," smiled Alfred, crawling back to settle over Arthur and kissing him long and hard.

Arthur would have loved to retort that he knew a stranger culture over in the far east, but found all his thoughts drifting away as Alfred trailed strong kisses down his neck and chest, hands stroking at Arthur's sides and making his skin flutter along with his heart.

From somewhere in the back of his mind, Arthur managed to find a thought, a desire, and tugged Alfred back up so they were face to face. Alfred stared at him, eyes dazzling, as Arthur reached down to untie the ribbon holding Alfred's robe closed.

The American felt a tug at his clothes, and looked down at Arthur's hands on his waist. When he realised what Arthur was doing, he placed his hands on the futon, either side of Arthur's side, and waited, trying to breathe steadily, as Arthur untied his clothes. The fabric brushed down his naked shoulders as the robe fell open, and Alfred quickly slid out of it and tossed it to one side.

"Y-you're...already..." Arthur stumbled. He wished he hadn't said anything, because of course they were going to have to get naked. Mentioning it aloud just proved his inexperience. But finding Alfred already bare and ready under his robes was still a surprise.

"Are you okay?" Alfred asked, concerned, hoping it wouldn't scare Arthur away to have the situation suddenly made so much more real before him.

Arthur glanced down at Alfred's already stiff member, hovering above his stomach, and then qucikly back up at Alfred's face, trying and failing to pretend he hadn't just peeked. Alfred couldn't help but smile at him and the glowing blush on his face.

"I'm fine."

"Good." Alfred dove into Arthur's neck and began doing all sorts of things with his mouth that Arthur quickly lost all ability to understand. There was sucking, nibbling, licking, kissing, a bite to his shoulder, and maybe more. All he could do was arch up into Alfred's chest, and feel his heart pound when Alfred's cock brushed against him.

He was moaning between his pants and gasps, he could feel it. He felt embarrassed, and ashamed that he couldn't do such wonderful things to Alfred. In an effort to be at all helpful and give something back, he did the only thing his mind could suggest through his heat haze of pleasure. He tugged one of Alfred's hands away from the ground by his head, and kissed it all over.

Alfred suddenly withdrew from Arthur's neck, staring down at him in surprise. Arthur blinked, humiliated and worried. What a stupid thing to do, when Alfred was pleasuring him like a grown man, and all Arthur could do was kiss his hand.

But Alfred's eyes held no anger or disappointment. Only surprise. He leant down and kissed the corner of Arthur's mouth, breathing "I love you" into his skin.

When he raised himself up again his eyes bored into Arthur's soul and Arthur felt laid bare in a whole new way. "Let me give you all the love you deserve."

The way he looked at Arthur made it clear what Alfred was asking. And Arthur nodded in answer. Before he had any time to ask what to do, Alfred's hand was slipping into his long underwear and stroking his cock which Arthur suddenly realised was incredibly hard and hot and sensitive.

All sort of sounds were spilling out of his throat, straight from his heart. He stopped thinking about them, hoping they were proof to Alfred how much Arthur loved him. He wanted to touch Alfred down there, too, but didn't want to get in the way, so he settled for dragging Arthur's face towards him and covering his mouth and neck in hot kisses.

Suddenly Alfred's hand was gone, leaving Arthur's erection more desperate than it had ever been for touch and release.

"If you want to stop, just tell me. I know it's difficult. But I promise I can make you feel good," Alfred was saying to him. Arthur tried to control his breathing, tried to see clearly. When he finally came back to himself, he found Alfred resting back on his thighs again, pouring a powder into his mouth. Arthur didn't really udnerstand what was going on, but it didn't matter because his mind swiftly wandered to the flushed, erect cock sitting between Alfred's legs. He wanted to touch it.

He reached forward, and Alfred's eyes fluttered shut in expectation as he realised what Arthur was about to do. Feeling self-conscious, but too aroused and in love to care, Arthur wrapped his hand around Alfred's erection. Let himself touch another man's erection when he was in need. And maybe it should have felt wrong, but the way Alfred scrunched his face in pleasure and the way his cock throbbed with desire in Arthur's hand, it made it all seem so necessary, like this was just another part of life Arthur was meant to experience and enjoy and savour.

He stroked Alfred slowly, like the other had done for him, but a bit more tentatively. His whole palm was hyper sensitive, tingling with the feel of Alfred's raw manhood against his skin. He wasn't sure what was too much or too little. He could barely stand the touch, it was so exciting, his heart thrumming so rapidly with the thrill.

His other hand came up instinctively to stroke his own manhood when it all got too much. He rubbed them both in time, as much as he could with his arms shivering and trembling so badly. And when he finally found the courage to look up at Alfred and see if it was all okay, the American was looking down at him, eyes hooded and darkened with lust, fingers in his mouth and a sticky substance all over his hand, long strawberry-gold hair trailing over his naked body. The sight was so erotic that Arthur was suddenly squeezing the hot, hard flesh in his grip, and spilling into his hand.

He collapsed back onto the futon, letting go of them both as his arms draped across the ground, every ounce of energy drained from his body and evaporating into the heat and sweat and haze of the room.

He was floating, so blissful, and only vaguely aware of Alfred moving around on top of him. As long as Alfred didn't leave it was all right.

He forced his eyes open, wanting to see what Alfred was doing now, and realised that he was the only who one had succumbed to the moment just then. Alfred was still standing proud as he crawled back over Arthur's body, kissing his way up the sweaty chest and muscles that rose and fell slowly as Arthur regained his breath.

"Sorry..." Arthur breathed out.

Alfred smiled fondly, and nuzzled Arthur's jaw before kissing him soundly. "Don't be. I have more experience. Besides, it's better that you're relaxed right now. This is...going to feel strange. Just...stay with me?"

Arthur nodded. Alfred should know by now that the Englishman would do anything for him.

Arthur lay there, relaxed and sated for the moment, not scared or nervous about what would come next because he trusted Alfred implictly. If it felt strange, so be it. He still wanted to be part of this experience with Alfred.

He felt Alfred's hands down below, further than his cock this time. They brushed against his behind, and then pressed in, fingers brushing where none had ever done before. He had to take his mind off how embarrassed he was at his twitching and fluttering skin as Alfred pushed a finger inside him. So Arthur took Alfred's long flowing hair in his hand, letting it slip through his fingers like water, and watching it in a trance, a happy daze. Despite the fact that Alfred was inside him, and Arthur could feel himself being stretched, he had never felt more comfortable, more at peace. His orgasm from moments ago left his body relaxed, and although he started to feel the tension when Alfred added a second finger, the cool, soothing silkiness of Alfred's hair in his hand, and the occasional peppered kisses they shared, softened it all to nothing more than a bodily ache.

The third finger had Arthur's legs writhing, feet pushing against the ground to thrust up against Alfred and get some friction between them, to feel as good there as it did inside. He had never felt so needy, wanted so much.

Well, that was a lie. As soon as he saw Alfred, he had wanted to be part of his life, for them to belong to each other. This was just a part of that.

"Are you ready?" Alfred panted in his ear. The man could barely support himself over Arthur anymore, his whole body trembling and covered in sweat. Arthur realised that Alfred was incredibly aroused right now, all because of the way Arthur squirmed against him and the sounds he made as Alfred touched amazing places inside him. He was suddenly very excited for Alfred to be inside him, so he could give Alfred all the pelasure he deserved for loving him so much.

Arthur took a deep breath, more to regain his voice than anything. "Mm," he croaked, voice much deeper than he had expected it to be after some of the high keening sounds that had been moaning out of him.

Alfred shuddered out a gasp and reached down betwen their bodies to take hold of himself and guide his erection to Arthur's entrance. Arthur shut his eyes, too hot and desperate to watch Alfred's face right now, or he knew it would be the end for him again, far too soon.

"A-ah!" he gasped, as he felt Alfred push inside, eyes flashing open despite himself.

It hurt, even after the preparation. His body was wound up and tense again from Alfred's ministrations, and he could feel every particle of Alfred's flesh inside him, more intensely than he thought he'd ever felt anything in his life.

Nobody had ever touched him before. When he was a child, he was in the work house. Then he'd joined the navy and worked his way up. There had never been a time or place for tenderness or touch. No parents to embrace him or lovers to comfort him.

But now here was someone perfect, touching him so much he didn't know how to handle it. It hurt inside, it burned, but he wasn't going to give that up. He suddenly realised how much he'd always longed for this, for someone to touch him this much.

"A-are you...okay?" Alfred gasped above him and Arthur wanted to laugh, but didn't know if he managed it.

"Mm," was all he could say again, but he thought his smile might prove his point. Just to be sure, he wrapped his arms around Alfred's neck and pulled him to fall down into Arthur's waiting kiss.

They stayed like that, mouths pressed together - sometimes kissing, sometimes just breathing or gasping - as Alfred began to rock into him, and out, and in, and out.

It was so comforting, Arthur thought.

And suddenly it was more, it was everything. Alfred pushed in and brushed something Arthur hadn't known existed in his body, and he felt on fire, or like he was flying. Or as if he, himself, might be a dream. It didn't feel like it could be real. Something like that couldn't exist on this earth. But no dream ever felt this good either.

Alfred lost himself to Arthur's moans and began thrusting harder, faster, and all Arthur could do was cling on, legs wrapping around Alfred's hips and keeping him there, connected, never allowed to leave now.

It was better than bliss. Better than any heaven Arthur had been promised by the church who told him this was wrong. They obviously didn't know. God would never hate something like this, something that could connect two people so wonderfully and make them feel more alive, more a part of the world than Arthur had ever thought possible.

He wanted to say "I love you" but just couldn't get it out. He tried, but the feel of Alfred rubbing inside him, striking that special spot over and over, robbed him of speech, of language altogether. But it didn't matter. He was one with Alfred, their bodies intertwined, their hearts exposed and melded together, and everything Arthur felt Alfred could read from him without words because they were joined now.

"I love you. I'm so sorry. Arthur...Don't go. I love you. Please, don't leave me."

Arthur didn't know why Alfred sounded so sad, even as he groaned in ecstacy. He pulled Alfred's long hair, draping it over them so it tickled their bare skin, and held on.

Alfred's movements lost control, he thrust haphazardly, driving Arthur into the futon. All Arthur could do was grip the blanket in his hands and let Alfred ride out his pleasure through Arthur's body.

With a shudder, and a keening gasp, Alfred made a final thrust and stilled his rocking over Arthur's head, body heaving with deep, hot breaths that washed over Arthur's face and made him feel new.

'I love you,' was the final thought in Arthur's head before Alfred's hand was round his erection, rubbing tight and fast, and his mind was exploding in white, hot bliss.

And Arthur was once more drowning in pleasure and in Alfred, coming undone at Alfred's touch and kiss and love. And their exhausted, sated bodies were collapsing onto the futon side by side, melting in to one another and holding each other close. Alfred was clinging to him for dear life, as if he were afraid the Briton would disappear. But Arthur just rubbed his love's sweaty back, burying his nose in the other's strong shoulder and smiling to himself.

There was no need for Alfred to worry. Arthur wasn't going to let them be forced apart. Even if Alfred thought it was impossible, Arthur would make sure they stayed together, forever.

He would find a way.

* * *

**A/N:**

I know that Alfred is a prostitute and has been trained in other traditionally feminine entertainments and arts in this story, so it seemed like he would be the uke. But when I see him in these pictrues wearing a kimono I just can't see him as anything other than seme! He just looks so hardcore in those clothes, and the make-up makes him look all serious and mature. It's so manly! I hope no one was expecting seme!England and got disappointed. I have no problem with seme!UK, of course. But in this AU, I just see good, noble, heroic, Royal Navy!Arthur as uke, and kimono-wearing, make-up-covered, dancing, acting, prostituting!Alfred as seme...

**Historical Notes**

_**onsen** _= as Alfred explained, it's a hot springs. There are also indoor public baths like this, but I actually can't remember if they have a different name. I'm not an expert, frequenter or fan of onsen and public baths because...um, no. Not for me thanks. I have done it ONCE, but there were no people around and I got to do it all by myself, thank God... Japanese find nudity in public inappropriate - but in the bath houses and _onsens_ it's totally fine. So in this scenario, Alfred isn't thinking it's gonna be all sexy with them getting undressed in the same room (not yet anyway). It's just an ordinary thing like it is in the _onsen_/public baths. _Onsen_ seriously make the world go round in Japan. Some people I know go once a week and treat it like an addiction!

_**yukata**_ = I'm not an expert on the clothes of this era, so I'm being really vague and just calling everything "robes" and "garments" and stuff, because it's mostly from Arthur's point of view and he wouldn't know the nams of these things, either. And I'm pretty Alfred is NOT wearing a kimono most of the time, but I've been using that word because I couldn't find the right term, and this evokes the right sort of picture in most western readers' minds. Anyway, the blue robes they are wearing after they take off their wet clothes in this scene are something like _yukata _- loose, easy summer robes sort of like a thin dressing gown. You always get them in Japanese hotels these days, and I'm just imagining they had them back then, too.

**Arthur's underwear** = Victorian underwear was basically as complete as clothes are for us these days. His 'underwear' was more like long-johns than briefs of boxers.

**lube** = I hadn't even thought of this detail but then my advisor, sweet-land-of-libertea on tumblr, kindly stepped in to describe 19th century lube to me. XDD It's called "_tsuuwasan_" and is made of...you know what, I don't really want to go into it because it's _so_ not sexy. But basically it's a powder that you pour into your mouth so you can add your saliva. When it's got the saliva, you spit it into your hand and apply in the desired orifice. Wtf, right? So, Alfred sneakily brought the powdered lube into the room with their change of clothes, and as Arthur is having his first go at giving a hand job, Alfred's busy pouring the powder into his mouth, wetting it with spit, and then getting it on his fingers to prepare Arthur.


	5. Fifth

~ * Fifth * ~

The first thing Arthur noticed tonight, even before the freezing cold or the light rain on his face, was Kiku standing in front of him.

The _kitsune_ scowled, ever so slightly.

"I tire of you, Commander Kirkland."

He spoke softly, but the ice in his voice was a blow so strong it made Arthur step back. He found his foot crunching down ankle-deep into snow.

He didn't know whether to worry about the impossible weather or the _kitsune_, but settled on looking back up at Kiku.

"I'm so sorry, Kiku-san. Have I done something to offend you?"

He hoped to God that the _kitsune_ had not heard anything about Alfred's desire to escape. He wasn't sure exactly what powers the fox spirit held, but if he was strong enough to keep Alfred stuck in Yoshiwara against his will, then he was formidable, and Arthur had to tread carefully. Lie, if need be. He hated to be dishonest. And he felt that when he was in the right against injust and evil he should stand tall against it. But getting Alfred out safe and happy was more important than his honour right now.

"I do not trust you," Kiku stated, just as calmly and venomously as before, face as blank as the snow underfoot.

Arthur was startled, and didn't know whether to bow, apologise, or keep quiet. After all, Kiku was wise and clever, so he was right to be suspicious of someone who _was_ actually trying to steal Alfred away from him.

Arthur suddenly wondered if the _kitsune_ had locked Alfred away somewhere tonight. He didn't know how to approach the topic without causing offense and perhaps incurring the wrath of a dangerous fox spirit, but luckily they were interrupted.

"_Arthur_!"

Arthur spun around at the sound of Alfred's voice calling out to him in the night. The American ran towards him, holding up the hem of his _kimono_ above the snow as he ran across it towards them, his long hair flying behind him like the glowing tail of a shooting star in the dark.

Alfred reached Arthur's side and grabbed his sleeve out of some natural instinct. He pulled his hand back instantly as if he'd been burned, but he still couldn't take his wide blue eyes off of Arthur. The Englishman didn't know why he looked so surprised when they'd agreed to meet again today. But then it looked as Alfred were far more than 'surprised.' He looked...stunned beyond all belief. As if the impossible had just come true.

Finally, Alfred regained control of himself, and turned to Kiku, schooling his face back into its usual blank mask. "Arthur is doing nothing to harm you, Kiku," he growled.

Neither of them spoke for a while, but Kiku's thin, midnight black eyebrows drew together as the men stared each other down across the pure white snow. Finally, Kiku nodded, and then he turned away and disappeared into the space between the low wooden buildings around the theatre. He didn't make a sound as he walked across the crisp snow.

"Alfred?" Arthur murmured gently, touching the man's shoulder.

Alfred was suddenly whirling round on him, fear and horror and all manner of strange emotions in his eyes. Arthur didn't know what he'd done wrong.

"You're back. Why...?" Alfred asked, voice choking.

"Of course I'm back! Did you expect me to leave?"

Arthur began to smile, stunned that Alfred could think he would have regretted last night and run away, never to return. He was about to call Alfred silly and say that he'd always be here...but the words died in his throat as a deathly painful realisation settled on him.

Perhaps Alfred had not expected him to return because he did not _want_ Arthur to come back after last night. He was a _kagema_, a male prostitute. Maybe he had just been playing with Arthur, and Arthur was the fool for having believed it. Alfred had never expected him to come back because he didn't think anybody could be so stupid as to believe it was all real.

"I...I'm sorry," Arthur whispered, throat searing in pain as if begging him to scream in despair. "I thought...I...It seems I...made a mistake. I didn't..."

His search for words was interrupted when he was suddenly tugged harshly into Alfred's arms, wrapped tightly in the America's warm embrace and hidden safely amongst the many layers of the other's winter _kimono_.

"I love you." Alfred's voice was soft against his ear, but there was an edge of ferocity that burnt all doubts from Arthur's mind. "I'm sorry; _I_ was the one who made a mistake. I underestimated you. I'm so sorry, I should have known...I should have known you were more than that, Arthur."

And Alfred was laughing, sincerely, body shaking even as Arthur heard him sniffing back tears. He couldn't figure out where his arms would fit amongst the heavy maze of folds of Alfred's clothes, so he settled for bringing his arms up and running his hands through the hair on Alfred's scalp, smiling patiently as the other man calmed down.

"Let's go for a walk this evening," said Alfred, pulling back from Arthur and offering him a warm, slightly tear-stained smile. Arthur nodded, smiling back, trying to brighten Alfred's heart with the assurance that he was here for him. If Alfred had thought he would leave after last night, Arthur obviously hadn't proved himself yet.

Alfred quickly grabbed an umbrella from the foyer of a nearby building and the two of them set off down the bridge towards the main area of Yoshiwara.

"Alfred...Why is it snowing?" asked Arthur after a while of calming silence. "It's the middle of August."

He felt Alfred go rigid where their arms were linked together, walking close and sharing the umbrella against the light rain. Seeing Alfred's face turn stony, Arthur knew something was wrong. It scared him. What was Alfred hiding from him?

"And why...why is the moon still full?" he asked, the questions tumbling out now. "And it's been red every night, but that's a rare phenomenon. And the flowers...How did the _sakura_ disappear overnight and not even leave any blossoms on the ground?"

Alfred sighed, and tugged Arthur's arm, halting his footsteps. Arthur turned to face him, and his heart hammered hard and fast in his chest at the sight of Alfred's face. He knew that whatever the American _kagema_ said next would not be easy to hear.

"Arthur...do you remember how you got here?"

"I came to Japan on the HMS Albion, from England," Arthur said, confused as to why Alfred was asking that now. It was perfectly obvious.

"I meant _tonight_," Alfred ammended. "How did you get here?" He spoke slowly, carefully, as if worried the slightest change in his voice would drive Arthur to madness.

"I'm staying in the main city of Edo with my superiors," Arthur explained, bemused once again. "I came here tonight by myself, on a horse. I left her at the front gate."

"Do you _remember_ it, though?" Alfred persisted. "Do you remember the ride? The feel of the horse underneath, the lights of the town around you? Do you remember what you saw along the way? Did you talk to anyone?"

"I remember the route," said Arthur slowly, picturing the journey in his head as if it were laid out on a map.

"But do you remember _tonight_, Arthur?" Alfred suddenly exclaimed, grabbing Arthur's arms and letting the umbrella fall onto the snow-covered slats of the bridge. "Do you remember coming all the way, and going through the back gate of Yoshiwara, and walking across this bridge to the island, tonight?"

Arthur stared at him.

He shook his head.

"Do you remember being with me last night? What happened afterwards?"

Arthur frowned, ignoring the way his heart was spinning, his mind was reeling, his body clenching and trembling in panic. He didn't want Alfred to be asking these questions, he didn't want to know why he couldn't answer.

But he had to shake his head again in response.

He didn't remember what happened after they were together. He was in Alfred's arms, happy...then nothing. Now he was here.

"What about after meeting the _kitsune_ in the tea house? Do you remember - ?"

"_I don't remember any of it_!" Arthur shouted, wrenching his arms out of Alfred's grip, breath heaving as he stared at the broken snow around them and then back up at Alfred. "Alfred...what's happening to me?"

Alfred's face fell at the Englishman's outburst. He reached out and wrapped Arthur in his arms again, scooping up the umbrella on the way to shield them from the light rain that fell through the gaps in the _torii_ gates above them. He brought it down close to their heads, once again shutting out the rest of the world until it was just them, the umbrella, the bridge, and the lake.

"I love you, Arthur. Please don't be scared. It's all right, I promise. You won't come to any harm. You're safe," Alfred said soothingly, placing a gentle kiss on Arthur's lips to encourage him. The Englishman nodded, and prepared himself for the worst. If Alfred was still here, then hopefully it couldn't be that bad.

"It's snowing because it's December, not August," said Alfred, gently. "The moon is full and red and it's always raining...because that's the only time you can come here."

Arthur stared at him, and began to shake. "Y-you mean...that's the only time they open Yoshiwara?" he asked, though even as the words formed on his lips he didn't believe them.

Alfred shook his head slowly and looked Arthur in the eye. Arthur locked on to his gaze, hooking his green gaze onto Alfred's blue, grounding himself so he didn't drift away in this confusion.

"You think we met five days ago. But it hasn't been five days. It's been five years."

Arthur was staring so fixedly at Alfred's eyes that he didn't see the other's mouth move as he spoke such terrible words. It made it easier to hear them when he could forget where they were coming from. He could pretend they weren't real.

"This has all happened before, Arthur. You came to Edo on the HMS Albion in 1863. You visited Yoshiwara to meet your officers, we met, we fell in love, you tried to help me escape...and you died protecting me. You died in my arms. Kiku killed you. He was aiming for me, but you leapt in the way..."

Arthur probably would have started shaking. He felt like there was bile ready to gag him and make him fall to the floor and retch. He wanted to go limp and collapse and let the rest of the world deal with this news instead of him.

But Alfred started crying. He scrunched his blue eyes shut, taking away the sky that kept Arthur steady, and clung to Arthur like he was trying to meld their bodies together by sheer will alone. And Arthur knew he could remain calm and firm to support Alfred. The American was obviously still hurting from this, and Arthur wasn't. Yes, it was...a lot to take in. But it felt right, it made sense. It was actually a bit of a relief - finding out something that helped him understand who and what he was. But Alfred didn't have that luxury. He had lost Arthur, he felt responsible, and he was crying, and Arthur could forget about his own problems for him right now.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur! It was all my fault! You died because of me! It would have been better if - "

"Don't you dare," Arthur interrupted quickly. "I know what you're thinking and don't say it. I will be the judge of what's best for me."

"But it's not _this_, Arthur! _It's not this_!" Alfred sobbed into his shoulder. Arthur could feel the tears even through the stiff layers of his naval uniform - which, he suddenly remembered, was supposed to be navy blue, not white.

"Is this why I love you so much already?" he asked absent-mindedly, running his fingers through Alfred's ponytail as the other cried himself calm on Arthur's shoulder. "It's felt strange falling for you so quickly. I didn't know I could do that. But maybe it's just because I already remember my feelings from before."

Alfred laughed, a heart-wrenching, teary sound. "I'm afraid it was just the same the first time," his voice strained out. "We fell in love so quickly it was almost mad." Alfred chuckled again, the sound slightly happier this time. "You couldn't quite believe you were in love, and with a male Japanese-American _kagema_, no less. But we got there eventually."

Alfred's crying was soft and muffled now, as he choked it back under control. Arthur wondered if he had cried much when...it happened. Alfred was too brave to let his sadness show around anyone else - of that Arthur was certain. And in such a strange world as Kiku's theatre, showing weakness might be dangerous. Maybe Alfred had never had a chance to grieve properly. Maybe when the American was alone at night, for the past five years, he would cry himself to sleep at night, keeping quiet so as not to let anyone know...

That was how Arthur could be calm about this now. Yes, it was a lot to hear. Too much to understand fully. But the knowledge that it still hurt Alfred, far more than it hurt him, made it easy to let go of his own fears. He had to be there for Alfred now, not worry about something he couldn't change. If he really died protecting Alfred, then he was proud, and wouldn't change a thing.

"It feels as if...a few missing pieces of a puzzle have been locked into place," Arthur said thoughtfully, stroking Alfed's neck, tenderly. "These past few days I've felt different, and I've noticed strange things. But I've carried on. And now I know the truth, I understand myself. I can see the whole picture. It's actually a bit of a relief to know the truth, sad as it might be."

"Do you remember what happened?" Alfred asked quietly against his ear, voice hoarse.

"No."

"Meeting you was the most amazing thing that ever happened to me," Alfred whispered longingly, the tenderness in his words all the proof needed to show much he treasured the memory. "Falling in love with you made me feel like a king. And at the end...you were a hero. You saved my life."

"I'm glad."

Alfred squeezed him tight then heaved a great breath and stepped way. His face was glistening with tears, make-up running down the corners of his ears leaving permanent red tear streaks on his cheeks. Arthur smiled at him, and rubbed at the other's face with his pure white sleeve to get the marks off.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again after last time," Alfred murmured, reaching up to keep Arthur's hand against his cheek, and leaning into it. "Spirits like you...a _yuurei_, we call them...To aid them in moving on, you have to help them fulfill their purpose. Whatever emotion is binding them to earth must be satisfied. Mostly it's...consummating love with someone you left behind." He was blushing, and Arthur smiled fondly at him. "We never...we never made love the first time. We wanted to escape first, be together as free men. So I thought that if we were together now...you could move on and leave this damned place."

"Obviously I'm a bit of a stubborn spirit," said Arthur, and Alfred closed his eyes and smiled, still pressing his face into Arthur's palm.

"I should have known. Your purpose wasn't something physical. It was to set me free."

Arthur nodded. Even though all this information about being five-years dead was new to him, _that_ was something he understood instinctively. Even in life, that was what he had wanted most of all. To help Alfred. That was his purpose. So in death, naturally, that was why he was still here. He wouldn't 'move on' until Alfred had, too.

"Why...Why were you trying to help me pass on?" Arthur asked hesitantly. He almost let himself think for a moment that Alfred had grown tired of waiting around forlornly for a ghost every year. But Alfred was more dedicated than that.

"In life, you helped me see what I wanted," Alfred explained. "With your help, I realised that I wanted to leave, I wanted to get out and explore and find where I belong. Somewhere I could find out who I really am, somewhere I could be special for something more than my hair. That is, if there _is_ anything of value in me..."

Arthur scoffed in reply, and Alfred smiled sheepishly. They'd obviousl had this exchange many times before.

Alfred finally lowered their hands from his face, but kept them clasped together in a tight, gentle grip, warming them against the late winter night.

"I was sure I belonged wherever _you_ were," Alfred continued. "But geting out was the key. It...didn't work the first time. Kiku found us. He was so angry at me for trying to escape, so jealous at the thought that anyone should have me but him...that he shot at me with an arrow of foxfire. But you leapt in the way.

"I was...broken. I couldn't even think about trying to leave anymore. Couldn't remember ever wanting anything. I lost my life just as you did. I was empty."

He looked lost at the mere memory, and Arthur felt ashamed that he had left Alfred alone like that. He squeezed their hands together and tugged.

"Come. Let's take that walk you offered me. You can tell me as we go."

Alfred nodded, glad of something to do to keep his body occupied as they talked of heavy things. They set off over the bridge towards the main town of Yoshiwara, the rain making little circle patterns on the soft snow underfoot.

"I coudn't even think about escaping after you were gone," Alfred continued after a few moments of silence. "I had no will left for anything. And after a while, Kiku grew tired of me being so despondent. He kept offering me so many things to get me back to myself, but I wanted nothing but you. Eventually...he promised to bring you back. Not permanently; he claimed not to have that power. But he promised that your spirit would walk again on rainy nights when the red moon was full on the horizon -just like the night you died. You can only stay from 2 until 3 in the morning. The witching hour. That's why you don't remember anything before our meetings, or anything afterwards. You go back to another realm. And you always reappear outside the last building you visited."

Arthur nodded, thinking back on the past five "days" (or rather "meetings" would be the better word). With these details, everything fit together, just as Alfred said. After going to the tea house that first night, he had returned at 2 a.m. the next time. Outside the tea house. The time after the _kabuki_ play, he appeared near the theatre. And it was always raining, always a bright red moon, big and round, hanging low over Edo. The seasons had changed because time had passed between his visits. That was why Alfred had looked older recently. Not because he was growing weary or tired, but because time was slipping slowly away.

"It was over a year before the conditions were met," Alfred carried on, gazing off into the gloomy distance as he saw only memories before him. "I thought you would appear at your grave...in the shrine behind the theatre. But you weren't there. So I went into Yoshiwara to search for you...and there you were. Standing in the same palce where I first saw you. I think that...you only become aware of yourself being here once someone else notices you. You just stand there waiting, and most people can't see you. But I can, and Kiku can. So you come alive when we acknowledge you."

Again, it made sense now that Arthur tought about it. That night it was raining hard and he'd just been standing there soaking wet when Alfred found him - he'd wondered why he hadn't bothered to find shelter. But the fact was, he hadn't even realised he existed until Alfred brought him to life.

"Anyway, I...I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe I could see you again, I felt so lucky! I was so excited. So relieved!" Alfred was genuinely smiling, even though they didn't get to be together now under the easiest terms. Arthur was still dead, everything was still hard, Alfred was still alone. But just getting to see each other again...Arthur was glad that one hour could still bring a little bit of light into the dark of Alfred's year.

Alfred looked over at him and smiled, grasping his hand tightly.

"I know I acted so calm and serene, as I'd been trained to do. But by heaven, Arthur, my heart was racing around my entire body as if it had been running for days! It was clear you didn't remember me, so I thought...I would try to act like last time. Maybe you'd remember if we went through the same routine. I certainly didn't want to scare you off by saying you were a spirit and that we were in love, so I just...acted naturally. Or, as naturally as I _could_. And the next few times, too, I tried to make it easy and smooth."

His smile dimmed, until it faded altogether, and Arthur realised they were in the shadow of the wall around Yoshiwara. They passed through the gate and Alfred led him up _Naka-no-chou_. The rain was heavy now, melting away the snow. It was bitterly cold, and the town seemed so much darker when there were no people to light the streets with their colourful clothes and voices. A few lone pleasure-seekers hung around outside the bars and tea houses and brothels, and couples of girls clad in winter _kimono_ were hurrying about from one engagement to another. Still, Arthur knew there were plenty of merrymakers inside the buildings along the main street.

Living lives that might have been poor and humble, dangerous and debauched. But at least they were alive. They didn't realise just how free they were...

A group of men outside some pleasure establishment called out to Alfred, clearly inviting him over. They couldn't see Arthur at all. Alfed waved them off with a few polite words in Japanese, and carried on walking with Arthur, linking their arms to feel like they were locked together, safe.

"Having you here...it breaks my heart, Arthur," Alfred said after a while. "I don't want to be without you...But I don't want you to be stuck haunting this place, either."

Arthur said nothing. He didn't know how to feel about it, either.

"Last time...I had come to a decision." Alfred's voice was cold, as if whatever this 'decision' might be, he didn't like to think about it. "Seeing you for an hour once a year...it was practically nothing, but it was still enough for you to fill me with courage and strength once again. You made me remember that I wanted to get out of Edo. That I _had_ to get out.

"But I knew I could never leave if you were still here. Even if I barely have any chance to see you, I could never let that opportunity go. So I had to help you move on, for both of our sakes. It was selfish of me to ask Kiku to bring your spirit back to Earth once a year, so it was my duty to set you free. I thought that...if we consummated our love, you would be able to pass on. And once you were free, I could focus on getting out myself.

"I wasn't expecting you tonight, but there you were," Alfred smiled wistfully. "Proving that you are always even more incredible than I think you to be. You want to help me get out. That is the only way you can truly be at peace."

"Why was Kiku waiting for me outside the theatre if he thought I had moved on?" asked Arthur, eyebrows furrowed. That _kitsune_ was trouble, quite evidently, and he was the only obstacle standing in Alfred's way.

"I didn't tell anyone that we had lain together," Alfred explained. "If Kiku thought that you were still visiting Yoshiwara, he wouldn't figure out that I was trying to plan my escape. He knew I would never leave Yoshiwara while your spirit was still here. So I let him think you were still bound to earth, and he'd never suspect my plans of running away."

Arthur nodded, marvelling at Alfred's acting skills. To lay with his lover, knowing it would could cause Arthur to disappear forever, and then act like nothing had happened...He must have been dying on the inside all over again, and yet he managed to make Kiku believe that nothing had changed.

"That's why you said you couldn't come with me when you escaped," Arthur murmured, not really paying attention to what he was saying as his mind churned with thoughts of a lonely Alfred in his head. "You thought that I wouldn't be able to come back after that."

Alfred nodded, and Arthur watched another stray tear roll down the American's cheek. He directed Alfred towards a barren looking building, and tugged him into the doorway. There, he took the umbrella from Alfred's grip and placed it on the ground beside them. Once their hands were free, he pulled Alfred into an embrace, breathing across his ear and neck and hair to bathe him in the love that Arthur could feel keeping his heart alive, even if his body was not.

"I am so sorry for everything that has happened to you, Alfred. My love," he whispered, tightening his arms around Alfred's chest. "I don't apologise for saving your life, or for falling in love with you, but I'm sorry for leaving you alone and being the reason you have had to make such terrible decisions.

"It might mean I'm gone for good one day...but I am still here_ now_. I can help you escape. To make up for all the trouble and sadness I've caused you, I can help. And even though it will be the end of me...again...that's what I want."

Alfred nodded, brushing his face against Arthur's hair and wrapping his arms tightly around the other's neck, bodies pressed against each other from head to toe. They didn't need to say it aloud to know they both wished they could have just stayed like that forever - together in a shabby doorway, hiding from the rain in the middle of a cold and horrible winter night. It was perfect, because they were together.

After several long minutes that raced by in a few heartbeats, the two men untangled themselves. Green eyes met blue, and they focused in, locking on to each other once again, finding strength and determination in each other's eyes.

"Tell me your plan," said Arthur.

* * *

**A/N:**

So Arthur was _a spirit all along_. SURPRISE! I know it's been done before - most notably by 'The Sixth Sense'. But all I can say for myself is that I didn't start thinking about this story with the _INTENTION _of copying that plot idea from other movies/books.

When I was planning the whole AU, I originally intended to write about the first time Alfred and Arthur met and fell in love. In the end, Arthur gets shot with magic fire (an actual _kitsune_ power) while trying to protect Alfred during their escape from Yoshiwara. But the ONLY way to end that story would be for Arthur to die. He couldn't just miraculously survive and they defeat Kiku - that's too cheesy, even for me! However, since I am incapable of killing Arthur off entirely, I knew that Alfred would get one of his magical friends to make Arthur come back as a ghost somehow. So I thought "Hey! Why not write about _that_ bit of the story?! What happened AFTERwards!" It sounded way more interesting than my usual fare.

I have seriously put so much work into dropping clues and hints everywhere. I usually don't do forshadowing that well - or at all - but this time pretty much EVERY PARAGRAPH had some foreshadowing! I was very pleased with myself. Hopefully you can see how many of the continuity errors and weird comments and reactions everywhere were actually there for a reason.

**Historical Notes**

**_yuurei_** = a to Japanese folklore, all humans have a spirit/soul called a _reikon_. When a person dies, their _reikon_ leaves their body and waits in purgatory for the body to have a proper burial and funeral rites. However, under cerain circumstancs, a _reikon _can transform into a _yuurei_ - a ghostly vesion of the dead human - and bridge the gap between the spiritual and physical worlds. Some reasons a reikon may become a _yuurei_: 1. If the funeral rites are not performed. 2. If the _reikon_ was wrenched out of its body at a sudden or traumatic death (murder, suicide). 3. If the _reikon_ is still affected by the powerful emotions of love, hate, jealousy or sorrow it felt as a human. Arthur became a _yuurei_ because of the 2nd and 3rd reasons. He would definitely have come back to Earth for Alfred as a _yuurei_, so Alfred's request to Kiku to make it happen was unnecessary. However, now he blames himself for Arthur still being stuck on Earth. _Yuurei _are said to haunt particular people, so it is possible that Arthur could still follow Alfred out of Yoshiwara. However, because Kiku is the one who brought Arthur back as a ghost, his spirit is tied to that _location_, rather than to Alfred. Kiku made sure that Arthur was stuck in Yoshiwara, so that Alfred would be stuck there, too. Alfred understands this, so he knows that escaping Yohiswara means losing Arthur forever. Permanently this time.

**the witching hour** = 2 - 3 a.m. in Japanese folklore. This is when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is thinnest. It's the most common time for _yuurei_ to appear.

**Arthur's uniform** = it's been mentioned several times that Arthur is wearing a white uniform this whole time. However, a Royal Navy Commander's uniform at this point in time should have a navy blue jacket. Ghosts in Japan wear all white clothes, so Arthur's uniform has become pure white after his death.

**consummating love with a ****_yuurei_** = This is, indeed, said to be one way of helping a spirit move on. If they left behind a lover, and that love is keeping them tied to earth, sex can be a way of releasing them. Poor Alfred had to make love with Arthur for what he thought was the first and last time, just to help Arthur die and move on properly. Sad...

**fulfilling a purpose** = another way of helping a _yuurei _leave earth forever is to help it fulfill its purpose. If the cause of death was murder, the family can hunt down the killer and bring them to justice. In Arthur's case, his purpose will be fulfilled once Alfred gets out of Yoshiwara and is free. So Alfred is pretty much going to lose either way: either stay in Yoshiwara forever and see Arthur maybe once or twice a year (if he's lucky), or escape to freedom and honour the memory of the man who died helping him - but never see Arthur again. Poor baby...


	6. Sixth

~ * Sixth * ~

Arthur looked up and found Alfred waiting for him. They were at the theatre where they had ended the night last time, so as to waste no time getting to where the action would be this evening.

From the light pitter-patter of rain, and the chill in the air, Arthur could safely guess that it was neither summer nor winter right now. More like very early spring, he realised, looking at the budding trees scattered around the island shore, their bare branches coming alive with fresh new leaves.

After taking in those few brief details, Arthur looked back to Alfred, and found him wearing another magnificent red and gold _kimono_ and a brave mask on his face. A little stony from over-compensation, but Arthur couldn't blame him. He was a nervous wreck himself, and the only thing stopping him from letting his guard down for a second was the knowledge that Alfred depended on him.

They never knew when Kiku was watching; they had to pretend that this was any other night. As far as the _kitsune_ was meant to know, Arthur still didn't know he was a spirit, because Alfred hadn't had the heart to tell him. And it was supposed to seem as if the two men were not yet so close as to leap into each other's arms at every meeting.

When in truth...this was it. The last night they would ever see each other.

And for Alfred it was be even worse. He'd been through this before. For the third time in his life, Alfred believe this was the last night he and Arthur would ever spend together. And no matter how many times he went through it, it never got any easier.

"Good evening, Arthur," Alfred smiled, though his eyes were screaming at him in pain through the dark of the witching hour. "I hope you will enjoy the play tonight. It's a thrilling story we're putting on this time." Again, it was all for show. Kiku was probably watching them from the shadows nearby, or a window, perhaps. They had to lie even among themselves to fool him tonight.

"I enjoyed the love suicide," Arthur said as he stepped forward to share Alfred's umbrella. "Or what I got to see of it, anyway. But it might be nice to watch something exciting and a little less tragic."

"Well, today's offering is the story of a legendary _kitsune_ warrior during a great war several centuries ago. Let me tell you what you've missed of the play so far and then I can take you to your seat. We have some special guests tonight, too, so I'll tell you the right thing to say, or how low to bow, should any of them speak to you."

Arthur followed Alfred inside and up to his room, where they could set the plan in motion.

Of course, most of the work had to be done during the rest of the year, while Arthur was in purgatory. Poor Alfred had had to do it all alone, risking everything, everyday with no support, just hoping and praying he didn't make a mistake.

But it seemed he had managed to get everything ready, and enlist all the help he needed without anyone turning him in to Kiku. For when they arrived in Alfred's room, there was a _kistune_ waiting for them. He looked young in human years, maybe even a teenager, and had only one bushy black tail sweeping the ground behind him. His face was blank as Kiku's always was, but it didn't seem as cold and venomous as Kiku somehow managed to be. There was a vibrant sparkle in the boy's eyes, and Arthur felt hope swell in him that their plan might succeed with someone else on their side.

"Arthur, this is Hong Li," Alfred said. He remained calm and collected, but his voice sounded a little as if his heart were in his throat, and he was struggling to keep it from spilling out.

"Thank you for helping Alfred, Hong-san," Arthur said with a low bow, sending the _kitsune_ a look of thanks from the bottom of his heart.

"I don't care about helping Alfred," Hong said coldly, waving a hand nonchalantly in the air and quite surprising Arthur. "I just care about getting a chance to trick Kiku. I'm the best trickster of all the _kitsune_, and if I can fool Kiku, people will start to take me seriously and show me the respect I deserve."

Arthur nodded dumbly, supposing that it didn't matter why Hong was helping so long as he didn't betray them.

"We don't have much time," Alfred said, interrupting them. "Someone should be distracting Kiku now so he won't come near this floor for a while, but we can't take any chances. Hong, show us what you can do."

Hong nodded and scanned Arthur carefully, from head to toe. Then he closed his dark eyes, scrunched his forehead in concentration, and Arthur watched in sheer amazement as Hong's features simply melted into his own. It was like watching his reflection ripple in the water until it calmed and formed his face again.

Arthur stared in shock, and Hong smirked at him. "Not many _kitsune_ bother imitating _yuurei_ because you can't toy with their lives. Kiku won't suspect a thing."

"Don't be so sure," Alfred said sharply in warning. "Even when he has no reason to worry, Kiku is always suspicious and over-cautious. Don't under-estimate him."

The American took a deep breath, eyes closed as he readied himself. Hong and Arthur exchanged a quick glance before looking back to Alfred as his eyes opened, bright and sparkling and ready for action.

"So Hong. You will come down to the theatre with me. Remember to keep staring at me lovingly all throughout the play," he said, with a quick grin at Arthur. "Kiku won't be able to sense that you are a _kitsune_ in disguise, because the room is full of so many other beings and powers and auras. He will only be able to use his sight, and it will tell him Arthur is in the audience. If he gets close to you, then just trick him into thinking you are Arthur by acting like him. It will be tough but - "

"I can trick anyone! Kiku's barely even a challenge!" Hong snorted, arms crossed. "He may be a big shot in Yoshiwara and have contacts all over the place, but he's no match for me."

"Prove it," Alfred challenge, fixing his stare on Hong until the other was fired up and determined to take the challenge.

Alfred turned to Arthur then, eyes flashing with worry for only a moment before he hid it behind a mask so natural it was hard to see.

"Arthur. You will sneak into Kiku's room and take his star ball. It's basically his soul and - "

"I remember what you said yester-I mean, last time," Arthur said, hand gripping his sword. "_Kitsune_ have a star ball and if you can steal it from them, the _kitsune_ must do your bidding."

Alfred nodded. "I've finally found where he keeps his star ball when it's not on his person, and I'm almost certain he will have left it there tonight. I've learnt that he doesn't like carrying it with him on nights when he joins the audience, because there are too many untrustworthy characters down there. It wouldn't be beyond many of them to pickpocket his soul right off of him and make him their slave."

Arthur shuddered inwardly at the thought of one of those ogres or strange trolls creatures being in control of his whole life. No wonder Kiku would keep it safe when they were around.

"He usually leaves guards outside his room on such nights," Alfred added, "but I've had enough time to plan this night to make sure they will be occupied this evening."

"Where is the star ball?" Arthur asked quickly, worried that this would all take too much time and he'd disappear before he could free Alfred. "And how will I find my way to Kiku's room?"

"The ball is in a small, black music box." Alfred spoke calmly, and placed a hand gently on Arthur's wrist to soothe him, to tell him there was no need to rush and panic. "I've found you a guide who can take you to it. She can go about undetected and has learnt the layout of the building very well so she can take you around quickly." Alfred paused for a moment, cocking his ear towards the thin paper door of the room. The three men stilled, but there was no sound outside in the corridor so they relaxed, though only slightly.

Alfred lowered his voice further and continued. "Some of her friends should be distracting Kiku now. We've never had a large group of an important fairy tribe visit before and he'll have to spend time acting the host for them.

"We must thank you, too, Hong," he said, turning to the _kitsune_, still disgusied perfectly as Arthur and making it a bit of an odd sight for the real Arthur to watch. "Not only for your disguise but for helping spread the idea among your tribe and family to come here tonight."

"_Adopted_ family," Hong interrupted quickly with a glare. It may have been strange to Arthur, but watching 'himself' glare at Alfred was rather enlightening: he suddenly realised just why people rushed to obey him on board his ship. He did have a very impressive glare.

"Hong's adoptive family is here tonight, and they are an incredibly important clan in the biggest _kitsune_ city in China," Alfred explained. "With such honored guests, Kiku decided to make it a grand event tonight, with a brand new play and everything. He'll be distracted the whole time, if all goes well."

Arthur nodded, hope and tension and despair and adrenaline battling it out in his stomach. From the churning inside, he had to wonder how being dead was any different to being alive. He still felt everything he felt when alive - heat, cold, pain, sadness, happiness, touch - and still just as much fear for Alfred's safety as he ever did for his own life. Or rather _more_, judging from past experiences he couldn't quite remember.

"Now..." Alfred turned to Arthur after a moment of tense silence, and fixed him with a piercing look. Hong seemed to sense this would be an intimate exchange, and quickly looked away.

"Arthur. I hope this part of the plan will work. If not - "

"It will. I will see you after. Now tell me what happens after I get the star ball," Arthur said confidently They both knew it was a ruse, and that they were each as nervous and unsure as the other. But they could at least pretend, just to make things easier.

"Get the star ball," Alfred said firmly. "If the music box doesn't open easily, just bring it with you. From the time I leave this room, you have exactly fifteen minutes to get to Kiku's room, find the music box, and get the away from here. I've organised a big fight to go off soon after the play begins, and I'll be whisked off to safety. I'll sneak away from there and join you at the entrance to the shrine where your body is buried. Humans can't enter the shrine, so I will wait just outside, where the _torii_ gates begin. Kiku will almost certainly meet us there soon. Like last time... Now...if he manages to catch me before I can get to you or the star ball..."

"Just hurry and you'll be fine," Arthur whispered, hands tangling in Alfred's hair and pulling him down into a long, sad kiss.

"We could try my original idea," Alfred whispered hurriedly, eyes darting in torment and anxiety between Arthur's steady green gaze. "Just bring the star ball to the stage and confront him there so I don't have to - "

"We agreed last time that confronting him with other _kitsune_ about might backfire. If there really are many of Hong's clan present, they might jump to Kiku's aid rather than let him handle it hismelf. And that really will be the end of it. We will be fine getting to the shrine. Don't worry, my love. I believe in you."

Alfred nodded and planted a last kiss on Arthur's mouth, leaving it there to grow and give the English spirit the strength to succeed at his mission.

Arthur brushed his finger once through Alfred's shining hair that had first made Arthur look his way. They stared at each other for a long moment, trying to ingrain this moment in their memories so that they could relive it for the rest of their days once they were pulled apart. Although for Arthur it wasn't a matter of days but of minutes. Once Alfred left Yoshiwara, Arthur would have until 3 o' clock, and then we would be gone forever. He found that the thought of disappearing and not being able to remember and love Alfred was far worse than the thought of dying on its own.

Suddenly there was a soft knocking on the door, and Hong turned to open it. Arthur was a little surprised to see no one there, until he noticed a flying green rabbit darting inside, wings fluttering at rapid speed that mimicked Arthur's nervous heart beats.

"You!" he exclaimed, realising it was the same flying rabbit he had met on his first night at the theatre.

"Nice to see you again, Arthur," she smiled at him, nodding in recognition (obviously not fooled by Hong-Arthur standing right beside her).

"It's time," said Alfred. "Wait a minute after we leave and then go when it's safe. I'll...see you soon."

Arthur felt his heart crumble.

With one last, desperate look at Arthur, Alfred was entwining his arm with Hong's, and the two of them were out of the door, smiling and looking at each other as if the world revolved around them.

The rabbit floated over towards Arthur. "I'm sorry about all of this," she said, tapping a tiny paw on his shoulder, supportively.

Arthur heaved a deep breath, then looked at her with eyes bright and determined, and a wry smile on his face. "It's quite all right. It wasn't going to be easy getting Alfred out of Kiku's clutches, so I appreciate your help. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name last time?"

"Mint," the fairy replied. "At least that's the English word for it; in my language it's a bit different but slightly more unpronounceable for humans." She smiled briefly then fastened her beady black eyes on Arthur. Although she lacked human features, Arthur could tell her expression was worried. "You know, you've been gone for two years," Mint said solemnly.

Arthur jumped. "Two?! But..."

"Last year there was never a night with a full red moon and rain," the rabbit explained. "The conditions weren't met and so Alfred had to go on without you. It meant we had more time to organise the big crowd for tonight's performance, but it's been difficult trying to predict the weather and make sure we planned the show for a night when you'd be here."

"I hadn't thought of that," Arthur admitted. He felt stupid for not realising such a great detail. He had had less than an hour last time to hear Alfred's plan, and all the while he was trying to reconcile the news that he was a spirit. But he should have known that his rare visits would cause such difficulties for Alfred. He couldn't help but feel guilty.

"You and Hong have both worked so hard and done so much to help Alfred, despite the risks to yourselves," Arthur said, holding out his hand gently and taking one of Mint's paws in his fingers. "I can never thank you enough."

Mint smiled as much as a rabbit could, and nudged Arthur's fingers with her nose.

"Then don't start. Us fairies don't choose to help people for no reason. You both deserved it, and that's enough for me."

Mint's eyes flashed to the door, and Arthur's followed in fear. But the rabbit seemed to be listening to noises Arthur couldn't hear. It wasn't anything bad, at least, because suddenly Mint nodded and looked Arthur dead in the eyes, full of determination and spirit.

"Come on then, let's do this. For Alfred."

"For Alfred," Arthur agreed with a firm nod, and a tight grip on his sword.

They set off out of Alfred's room and Mint led him upstairs. They kept silent, but there was obviously no one about with such a big important show happening two floors below. Plus, Arthur knew Alfred would have gone to great lengths to make sure no servants were wandering around inconvenient places tonight. He'd been working on this plan for two or three years, after all, and had plenty of time to orchestrate every detail. That wasn't to say there would be no snags along the way, but, at the very least, Mint and Arthur managed to reach Kiku's room without mishap.

They slipped inside, sliding open the wooden frame of the paper door as quietly and gently as possible.

The room was a little less bare than Alfred's, but not by much. The floor was empty of any _futon_, and no table or chairs were to be seen in the large square space. All that stood on the _tatami_ were a dark mahogany chest of drawers, and a silk screen in the corner with beautiful looking designs painted over it. The whole space was sunk in the deep black of night, with only the barest light of the red full moon shining through one round window, bathing the room in an eerie red glow.

Mint nodded towards the mahogany drawers, and Arthur crept after her, the flapping of Mint's feather wings the only sound in the still, black room.

Sitting on top of the drawers was a mirror, an empty vase and a small, black music box, which looked like nothing more than a shadow in the dark.

Artur glanced at Mint and she nodded quickly. Arthur reached out, feeling almost as if he were moving in slow motion, and yet feeling years of adrenaline rush through him at the same time. His hand landed on the lid of the music box, and he paused, waiting for Mint to urge him on.

"It's too easy," he whispered and Mint seemed to agree. She fluttered down to the drawers and perched on the shiny surface. The rabbit fairy sniffed around the black box carefully, brushing it with her whiskers and touching it lightly with her flickering nose, only to flinch back quickly.

"I'm sure it has magic protecting it. I can't figure it out, though - my magic is very different to Kiku's. It's not keeping it locked but...I can't tell what it will do."

"Get behind me, then," Arthur commanded, nodding back to the door of the room. "If it's a trap intended to kill the thief, it's best I open it. It can't harm me now, can it."

Mint nodded hesitantly and flew away to the open door, hiding behind the framework and peering around carefully to watch.

Arthur placed both hands on the box, and gave himself no time to dwell on it before he flipped open the lid.

The inside was so beautiful that it took his breath away, and left him so completely entranced that he forgot he was meant to be scared and running out of time.

Inside was a perfect copy of the world outside the window. There was a small island that appeared to be floating on crystal clear water, even a little bridge covered in _torii_ gates like the one leading to Yoshiwara. And it wasn't just a painting, it was _real_: real grass, real water, real miniature buildings, real tiny trees budding to life after a long winter sleep. It was the very same island and lake Arthur had seen for himself outside, copied down in miniature inside the music box.

Right in the middle of the little island scene was a forest, a wide circle of dark trees that covered the centre of the island and brushed up against the back garden behind the tiny copy of the _kabuki_ theatre building. Running all the way through this forest, another line of red arches was clearly visible through the barren winter trees, reaching from the back garden of the theatre and stopping abruptly in the middle of the island. They were like the archways on the bridge: gates to nowhere, two long legs and a simple frame on top stretching wide, all painted a bright, enigmatic red. This must be the mysterious shrine Alfred had been talking about. Sure enough, at the end of the little line of miniature archways, right at the heart of the island, there was something made of stone, a little display of some sort. But it was too small to see just now, tucked away amidst the heart of the forest, and Arthur was still so busy drinking in the rest of the scene that he was quickly distracted. Not only was there the island and the lake with its many flower lanterns drifting across the water, but the sky actually rose above it all. It really was a complete little world, all its own. Arthur didn't know how the sky could be contained in a box, but it _was_, with clouds drifting across it, and even the full red moon hanging over the island.

"Arthur! The star ball! We need to hurry for Alfred!"

Arthur snapped back to himself at Mint's panicked voice.

But there was no star ball in here. Just the little theatre and a tiny shrine in the woods and the night sky tucked inside...

And the moon.

Now that Arthur looked at it more closely, he realised that the moon wasn't like the rest of the miniature scene, which was was undoubtedly real, a whole world trapped inside the music box. No, the moon may have been glowing but it looked more like a pearl suspended over the scene, and not a real miniature moon made of rock.

Ever so carefully, Arthur reached in and plucked the pearl out of the sky in the box.

He could tell that this was it. Kiku's star ball, his very soul in Arthur's fingertips. He knew it the moment his skin brushed the smooth surface of the pearl, as heat, sadness, longing, anger, love, all manner of emotions began flowing through his body. They tore up his arm, choked his throat, until finally they reached his brain, clashing together all at once in a blast of colour and noise and sensation, right in the centre of his mind...

And suddenly he remembered everything that had happened the first time he met Alfred, and all those days as they fell in love, and the night he had died.

"Where's the music?" Mint's voice reached him through his sudden wave of memories.

He brushed the tears out of his eyes with one hand, the star pearl clutched tightly in his fist. Reliving all those emotions in a split second left him feeling a little weak, and he leant heavily against the chest of drawers, unable to will his legs to move. But as soon as the rabbit fairy's words registered in his head through the clamour of his new old memories, Arthur was alert.

He hadn't even noticed, but as he turned to face Mint by the door, the rabbit's comment clicked into place in his head. "It's a music box...but there's no music," he said slowly.

Mint stared at him, and at the very same moment, they both heard footsteps running up the stairs leading to Kiku's room.

"_The window_!" Mint shouted, darting forward on beating wings as Arthur struggled to slide open the wooden window frame.

They were three stories up, but Arthur had to tell himself he was already dead, and it didn't matter what happened to him now. So as Mint flew out into the night air, Arthur clambered on top of the dark chest of drawers...and leapt out of the window.

He could only clench his eyes shut against the wind that rushed up to meet him, and try to ignore the fear spiking through him. He didn't know if it was his imagination or if he really could sense the ground getting closer.

"Arthur, I've got you!" Mint was calling to him, and with a startled wince Arthur felt something touch his feet - something blessedly solid and stable and wide. The tips of his feet came in contact first, and he was lowered gently to earth. He finally opened his eyes and looked to his shoulder, and realised Mint had grabbed on to his collar with her teeth and lowered him safely to the ground. There must have been some magic involved, too, but Arthur didn't have time to think about it because Mint was zooming ahead of him into the trees behind the theatre and Arthur was following her.

He was still confused, as if he had left his head in the air, feeling like he was still falling, wondering if the world had turned upside down or if it was just him. He wanted to sit down for a moment and get his head back into gear. He had to sort through all these memories because he was drowning, bombarded with twenty-three years of images and sounds and feelings and stories...

Growing up in the workhouse, the people there as cold as the long winter nights he spent sleeping in rags...joining the navy and feeling his life start over...the day he met that man who looked so much like him, he knew they must have the same parents, but how would he ever know for sure...being made Commander of a ship...reaching the alien land of Japan...meeting Alfred...falling in love with Alfred...saving Alfred...Alfred...Alfred...

Arthur took a deep breath as he ran and pushed all those memories to one side. Right now, he just had to keep hold of that star ball clenched in his palm, and get to the shrine. For Alfred's sake. He was the most important memory Arthur had, and Arthur wouldn't let him down now, at the very end. He could make one last memory of helping Alfred to freedom before it was all over. And that would be the most important one of all.

Somehow, Alfred was already waiting for him at the entrance to the shrine.

It was precisely the same scene as the one nestled inside the little music box. Surrounded by barren trees, the scent of rain and damp earth soaking the air, the shrine behind the theatre was truly beautiful, even if Arthur didn't understand what it all meant. Dozens of red _torii _gates marched one after another into the shadows further in the island, in one row so long that he couldn't see the end of it. They looked so much like the _torii_ on the bridge leading onto the island - but without the wide open lake underfoot and the sky above, the sensation was entirely different. This time, as Arthur looked down the tunnel-like path leading under the arches, it dissolved into darkness, looking like it led into a void. Arthur had the odd sensation that if you followed that path, you'd end up somewhere quite different from the island or Yoshiwara. It was no wonder mere humans like he and Alfred couldn't pass through those gates into the shrine.

"Arthur!" Alfred exclaimed as the Englishman came to a halt before him. He grabbed on to Arthur's shoulder and clenched the man's uniform in his fists, needing the reassurance that he was really here and they were still safe - even if it was just for this moment. "Kiku just leapt up from his seat in the middle of the play and dashed off! I was so worried! I left the stage and ran straight here!"

"I don't understand, either," Arthur panted. "But we have the star ball."

He grabbed Alfred's hand and pushed the star ball into his palm, closing his own hands over Alfred's as they stared down at the connection.

"You did it," breathed Alfred, looking more stunned than excited, though Arthur could hardly blame him for that.

"Now _undo _it." Arthur whirled around, and Alfred stared over the Englishman's shoulder, as Kiku stepped out slowly from the darkness of shadows and trees surrounding them. The lovers' hands, still clasped together around the star ball, gripped tightly in unison.

Mint darted over to hover by Arthur's side, and he was grateful for her loyalty, her presence a great comfort in such a dark hour.

"I am disappointed in you, Alfred," said Kiku, though his voice betrayed no emotion at all - neither disappointment nor anger. "Using tricks and deceit to get what you want? So you don't think you even deserve to be set free? You don't think you have the right to get out on your own? Take back this foolishness, return the _hoshi-no-tama_ and I shall forgive you."

Alfred's hand clenched tighter under Arthur's grip.

"I didn't want to trick you. I wanted to do it honestly, but this was the only way. ...You made me promise last time. I traded a lifetime in your service if you could bring Arthur back, and you bound me to that promise through your magic."

Arthur couldn't help but gasp and turn to Alfred in horror. Alfred had done that for him? It made him sick to think he might have been the cause for Alfred to be trapped here forever. That was exactly what he didn't want. What neither of them wanted.

"It was a mistake for me to make that vow, and you knew it!" Alfred continued, ignoring Arthur's gaze on him, but blushing furiously at his confession. "You _knew_ Arthur would come back as a spirit, whether I made that bargain or not! Because his purpose was not fulfilled, and his soul is so strong. _You_ were the one who tricked _me_ into giving you my life for free, and now I've had to trick you to get out of it! Besides..." Alfred's glare burned with haunting fury. "I know you're the one behind my parents' deaths. You got rid of them so you could bring me here and raise me to be your favourite toy. You're the only reason I'm in Yoshiwara at all! It's not only _my_ life, but my parents' too. You owe me three lives, Kiku."

Alfred glanced sideways at Arthur, needing a boost of strength from the spirit beside him. The Englishman nodded his encouragement, hope and pride bubbling in his chest even as they heard voices in the distance.

"We have your star ball. You must do as we say," said Alfred.

"I do not take orders from ghosts," said Kiku calmly, looking pointedly at Arthur.

"Fine, then your soul belongs to _me_, and _I_ am your master now!" Alfred declared, head held high and standing tall and proud. Arthur could tell the American was shaking on the inside, and that those voices they could hear drawing closer probably belonged to other _kitsune_ who were coming to Kiku's aid. But Alfred was a brilliant actor, and from the show of strength he put on, even Kiku was weighing him with a new light in his eyes.

The _kitsune_ said nothing. But the way his pointed fox ears twitched slightly, and his tails swept across the ground behind him with a gentle swish, betrayed that he was nervous. Whether he was stalling until his kin arrived, or he was too scared to speak, or whether he couldn't say anything against the will of his new master, Arthur didn't know. But the voices were getting louder, and there seemed to be many, and they had little time.

"I command you to bring Arthur back to life," said Alfred, staring fixedly at Kiku.

"Alfred! _No_! There's no time for this!" Arthur pleaded, tugging on Alfred's _kimono_ and turning to him with wide eyes. "The other _kitsune_ are coming! They'll overpower you and get the ball back! Do what we came here to do! _NOW_!"

Alfred didn't look at him, only stared at Kiku, who was smiling.

"Do as I say, Kiku. You must obey me," Alfred said, voice even, but chest obviously heaving under his loose red robes.

"I cannot bring someone back to life," said Kiku. "But there are other things I could do to help you. Let me tell you your options and you can choose which suits you best, master."

"NO!" Arthur interrupted. He let go of Alfred's hand around the star ball, and grabbed the American's robes to drag him round so they were face to face. "Alfred. I will be with you, always. Now let me go. Don't let my death be for nothing. Set yourself free and get out of here while you still can!"

Tears spilled out of Alfred's sky blue eyes. He hung his head and his next words sounded as if they came from a man who had given up.

"Kiku. I command that you release me from my contract with you. Let myself, and Arthur's spirit, and everyone who helped us tonight, leave Yoshiwara unharmed. Do not ever come after us. Do not send or suggest or influence anyone to harm us on your behalf. Do not let your kin take revenge on us for what we've done to you. Let your existence never touch our lives again, nor those of people we hold dear. Leave us alone. Forever."

Kiku's glare was cold and sharp as ice. Form the darkness behind him, _kitsune_ of every shape and size loomed out of the shadows - some in human form, some as foxes creeping along the ground, some a bizarre mixture of both bodies. Their stares were like daggers, wrath emanating from them, and Arthur knew if Alfred had left any loopholes in his command, they would be dead already, and his spirit tortured in ways he couldn't even fathom.

The fact that the _kitsune_ were hanging back...Arthur dared to believe that they might be saved.

Arthur dropped his hand from Alfred's _kimono_ and grasped the other's fist again as they stood side by side, staring down the army of _kitsune _with Kiku at their head.

"It is done, master," said Kiku, the words grit out as if he were letting a foul taste slip off his tongue.

"Give me your word that after I return your star ball, you shall keep that promise. Obey the command I have just given you, even when I hand back your soul," Alfred said firmly. In all his years dealing with Kiku and the supernatural kind, he knew their tricks. He had fallen for them last time he was trying to save Arthur's life, and he would not do it again. He would leave no pass, no possible way for these immoral trickster creatures to touch his life again. He was done with them. Forever.

"I give you my word, Alfred F. Jones."

Alfred nodded slowly, jerkily, as if afraid to lower his head and let the _kitsune_ out of his sight for even a split second.

"Excuse me if I don't trust you," he said. "I will be leaving now, and I'm taking your star ball to the gate of Yoshiwara. You can follow us there, and I'll return it once I'm safely outside this damned place."

Kiku said nothing, but the crowd of _kitsune_ parted in two, leaving a path for Arthur and Alfred to walk down.

Mint flew to Arthur's shoulder and sat there, quivering. Arthur couldn't blame her. They could only pass through the ranks of _kitsune_ and pray Alfred's words and Kiku's promise were good enough.

Arthur squeezed Alfred's hand, and they shared a brief glance before setting off through the trees and the _kitsune_. Every face they passed gave them a look that pierced to their very core. Human faces, pointed faces, foxes snarling at them from the ground - faces that would haunt them for the rest of their days.

Leaving everything behind, Alfred left the island estate. Crowds of strange creatures were gathered outside the theatre, trying to catch the reason for all the commotion. Hundreds of eyes, from monsters and magical beings of every shape and size, watched them leave, with the army of _kitsune_ filing after them like servants.

Alfred and Arthur stepped off the island on to the wooden bridge, and walked in silence. They knew the _kitsune_ were behind them still: their footsteps were too light to be heard but their stares were so heated the two men could feel them on their backs.

It was raining a little harder now, and Arthur soon found his hair plastered to his forehead, and his hands slippery and wet over Alfred's. But they kept going, marching on with heads held high, right up to the gates of Yoshiwara which opened for them on their own.

"Now I will give back your star ball," said Alfred, turning and facing Kiku finally. "But when I do you must all turn back the way you came and let me go in peace. Promise me. Even once I've given back your soul, you must obey that command. I know how important it is for your kind to keep their promises. If you go back on your word, Kiku, there is an army of _kitsune_ right here who will see it, and never forget the shame you brought upon your kind."

"I promise we shall turn back and let you leave in peace," said Kiku. It was ever so slightly a growl, as if he were offended at the mere thought of breaking a promise.

It should have been so simple, knowing that Kiku was incapable of hurting them now. But Arthur's heart was still racing in fear that they would be betrayed.

Alfred, too, looked hesitant, but he could not stand here staring down the _kitsune_ forever.

And so, with a graceful arc of his arm, he threw the star ball to Kiku, and the two men and the rabbit fairy stood with baited breath.

Kiku caught the ball in his hands, and let out a sigh.

He looked up at the trio, and none of them could help a small flinch of fear, wondering what he would do now.

But all Kiku did was fix them with his keen eyes. It was the_ kitsune_ behind him who moved first. They turned their backs as one on the humans and their fairy companion, and led the way back to the island out of sight across the lake.

Kiku was last to leave, turning around and sending one last glare over his shoulder before he followed his brethren, and was soon lost under the shadow of the _torii_ gates.

"They're gone," said Mint, her voice soft, as if unwilling to break the spell Alfred had cast over his old _kitsune_ master.

Alfred nodded. Both he and Arthur gazed for several long moments at the tunnel of _torii_ where the last of the _kitsune_ had disappeared, expecting at any moment to see them come rushing back in full force.

But they waited and waited, and it never happened. As one, the two men finally turned to look at each other.

"You did it, Alfred," Arthur smiled, too relieved to feel the joy he knew was owed to him. "You left them no way to sneak through your commands. You're really free."

Alfred nodded once. Tears welled up in his eyes, looking red and painful in the that same moon Arthur had grown so used to seeing.

"Thank you for helping me fulfil my purpose," said Arthur, feeling his eyes sting with sharp tears, too. "I suppose..."

Alfred reached out a hand, grasping like a lost soul for any piece of Arthur he could hold on to, if only for a moment. Arthur took his hand, and their eyes never left each other though they couldn't find any words to say.

"Arthur," said Mint gently, fluttering off his shoulder to hover between the two men. "I don't suppose you knew, but I am a Rabbit of the Moon. I see what the moon sees, she shows me what people do when the world is at its darkest. And you managed to shine through."

Arthur didn't understand what Mint was saying, and by the look on Alfred's face he didn't quite know where she was leading with this, either.

She smiled at their bemused faces. "I saw you and Alfred the first time you fell in love," she said, eyes lighting up at the memory. "You forgot all those rules telling you it was wrong, and you didn't hold back because you saw what was right and you did it. I saw you help Alfred become the man he was meant to be, and give up your own desires to make sure he found his. I saw you sacrifice yourself for Alfred when Kiku tried to kill him in a jealous rage. And I saw you come back every rainy night with a full red moon and do it all over again. You could have let Alfred bring you back to life tonight, but you didn't. You could have asked him to stay so you could remain a spirit with him, but you didn't."

"I suppose I'm a little selfish," Arthur smiled. Alfred frowned at him in confusion. "All I want is for Alfred to get his own life back, so I'll make sure I get that no matter what."

Alfred hung his head, not wanting Alfred to see the heartbreak that was clear in his eyes.

But Mint just laughed softly.

"Well, I couldn't promise anything earlier because I needed to know for certain. But I have all the proof I need from you, Arthur. And now I just need something from Alfred."

"From me?" the American asked, so shocked that all his misery was wiped clean for a moment.

"If you can give me adequate payment, and ask the right wish, I might be able to fulfil it for you."

"I'll give you whatever you want. It means nothing to me." The words came tumbling out of Alfred's mouth in time with heavy tears that began to flow down his cheeks, dropping down through the cracks in the bridge to fall into the lake below their feet. He clutched Arthur's arms in hope and desperation and stared at Mint through the mist of water in his eyes. "I'll give you anything, happily, if you can bring Arthur back to life."

Mint smiled at him.

"I want something that makes you special," the fairy said. There was a mischievous twinkle in her, but somehow, Arthur knew it wasn't threatening. She was excited. "Something that has been your life until now - something that you've cared for and cherished and which has helped you rise above everyone else. If you can give that up, I'll have everything I need from you, too."

Alfred reached down to Arthur's hip, and drew the sword from the scabbard resting at his side. "Alfred, no!" Arthur cried, fearing Alfred was going to do something dramatic and dreadful.

But Alfred stepped away from the Englishman's grasp and swept the sword behind his head in one, smooth slice. The soft 'swissssh' noise that accompanied the action rang through the night air, echoing with finality. When silence fell once more, Alfred pulled his hands from behind his head, the sword in one palm and his long golden ponytail in the other.

"Perfect," said Mint, as she stared at the ponytail. It vanished before their very eyes and Mint smiled up at them, ignoring their worried stares.

"I daresay your hostess friend is waiting for you at the gate of Yoshiwara with your bag, Alfred. It would be rude to keep her."

Alfred grabbed the rabbit out of the air, holding her gently, but desperately all the same. "Is it - "

"See for yourself."

The fairy and Alfred looked to Arthur, and the American's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the Englishman before him. Arthur looked down, not feeling any different...

But his navy coat was blue and gold once more. No longer white, like the drained spirit of a man who once was, but bold and bright as if the uniform itself was bursting to life.

He whipped his head back up to Mint, but her enigmatic smile was back, full force. Those supernatural beings could be helpful, but none could resist a good prank, even if it was a benevolent one. She wasn't going to make this easy on them, rather let them agonise over whether it was true.

"If you don't trust me, you'll just have to see for yourselves," Mint said, looking very pleased with herself. "But I wouldn't have any worries about leaving Yoshiwara now, if I were you, Arthur. Nor you, Alfred."

Still, neither man could speak, not even to manage a 'thank you.'

But somehow, Mint didn't seem to mind, happy to have left them both speechless. It was all the proof she needed that her gift was truly superb. "I have to go back to my tribe now. We must get back to the moon before she gets too high in the sky. I will make sure to see you soon, though."

She flew out of Alfred's weak grasp and fluttered up to kiss them both on the cheek. Before they knew it, she was zipping away back across the bridge.

Arthur and Alfred stared at each other for a few long minutes, hands eventually reaching out to hold each other, both trembling and as sweaty as each other.

"We'll...we'll just have to see what happens," Arthur said.

Though if he dared to be honest and hopeful he'd say that...he felt whole again. When he was a spirit, he had felt _off_ somehow. He'd known that all along, so that when Alfred told him the truth about being dead, it had made sense. Now...he felt different. Maybe it was just knowing Alfred was free, maybe it was his heart beating for a reason in his chest again. Maybe it was both. All he could do, all either of them could do, was leave Yoshiwara and see what happened.

Arthur pulled Alfred closer by their clasped hands and leant up kiss him. It was brief, but warm and soft, and Arthur hoped that he really was alive again so he could have more of them in the future.

"Come on, my love. Let's go."

They walked up to the back gate of Yoshiwara, which opened of its own accord as usual. And then, hand in hand, the two of them set off up _Naka-no-chou_, towards the front gate of Yoshiwara - where they would find out if they really had made it this time.

They were so nervous that neither of them had even realised it was already past 3 o' clock in the morning, and they had nothing to fear. They had made it out.

Together.

**The end.**

* * *

**A/N:**

I am fully aware that this story would be much better as a tragedy. But, honestly, fuck that. USUK brings me happiness and fills me with love COUNTLESS times everyday. Why would I taint that with sadness and loss and horrible things? People can write tragedies if they want, but I'm going to protect these babies and make sure they get all the happiness they deserve. I'm not writing this just for me, or potential readers - I'm also writing it for them, to give them a happily ever after. I want Alfred and Arthur to be happy, so I'm not going to turn it into a tragedy just in because it would be a "better plot." As long as my babies are happy, I'm happy. Sorry if you think Arthur should have disappeared into the mist or whatever and Alfred started anew. Just no. That's not how I roll here in Sunshine-and-Rainbows-Fluffy-Ever-After-Disney-Inf luenced-Sweethearts-Ville. (You can find us just south of Sugar Top Mountain, and west of La La Land.)

That being said, I hope you enjoyed the fic! It was interesting to write, especially since it was something so unusual for me. The research was fun because I loved it when little bits of folklore I read about worked SO well with what I wanted to happen (did you know Japanese fairies CAn bring people back to life?!). There were lots of other details I wanted to fit in, but I wrote this in 6 days for the USxUK Sweethearts Week on LiveJournal, and as such I had to cut some things and rush a little bit. But I hope it was still okay. Thank you very much for reading!

**Historical Notes**

**1868** = although it is not explicitly stated in this chapter, it can be inferred from the characters' comments in previous chapters that this chapter is set in the spring of 1868. The Edo period ended in May of 1868, bringing about great changes in Japan. It was the end of Japan as everyone knew it, and the beginning of a whole new nation. It was the starting point for Japan to evolve from a remote and isolationist island of tradition, to a modern, industrialised country with many outside influences. I imagine that in this AU, many mythical creatures and spiritual beings would start to leave open places like Yoshiwara and hide even more from humans - so Kiku's theatre would not only suffer from the loss of Alfred, but because their world is about to change and they are forced into hiding.

**Hong** = Hong Kong. I know he has several human names, but I didn't know which one would fit well with this time period, so I made it Hong because I often call him that in my head as a shortened version of Hong Kong.

**trickster _kitsune_** = Hong says he is only helping Alfred because he wants to trick Kiku. It sounds very juvenile, but according to Japanese mythology, _kitsune _are naturally mischievous beings. They will play pranks and cause mischief to both other _kitsune_ and humans, but the tricks they play on humans can often be disastrous because they don't take into account that humans are mortal and less powerful creatures. Young ones, like Hong who is only 100 years old - are obsessed with tricks. A good trickster will be greatly honoured in the kitsune community. And tricking an older kitsune like Kiku would be a great challenge and victory for a young, ambitious kitsune - so Hong sees this as a great opportunity.

**shapeshifting** = kisune have the ability to change their appearance to that of any human they ever meet.

**_kitsune_ city** = some kitsune are loners like Kiku, who go around trying to earn money and power. But there are also many _kisune_ cities - on another plane of existence but in the same location as a big human city might be.

**star ball / ****_hoshi-no-tama_** = in Japanese folklore, _kitsune_ do, indeed, have a star ball that is believed to be their soul. It grants them special abilities when they reach a certain age, so they guard it closely. If someone can steal it from them, the holder becomes a master to the _kitsune_ and they must obey him/her. This is why getting possession of Kiku's star ball is Alfred's best bet for ensuring Kiku sets him from Yoshiwara.

**the shrine and the _torii_ **= in the _Shinto_ religion, the fox god Inari governs industry (among other things), and if a business is successful the owner might donate a red _torii_ gate to an Inari shrine as thanks. Kiku will obviously donate many _torii_ gates over the years as his theate business remains successful - not only as a thanks to Inari, but also because he is a fox spirit himself, and Inari is an important symbol to his kind (even if a black _kitsune_ like Kiku does not work directly for Inari, as the white _kitsune_ do). So there ends up being a lot of _torii_ gates spreading out from the heart of this island's shrine. When I was in Japan, I went to Fushimi Inari shrine, the largest shrine dedicated to Inari. There were hundreds of red _torii_ gates lined along the paths winding up the mountain, and walking under them with no end in sight can be quite spooky. You really feel as if something magical could happen at any moment, or like once you get to the end you'll step out into another world. I thought a _kitsune_ would pray at a shrine just like that one. But since the island shrine in this story is not just a human shrine to a fox god, but a _magical_ _being's_ shrine to a fox god, I thought it would be even more intense. Humans wouldn't be allowed to enter, and the place would give off an eerie and magical aura even to someone as non-magical as Arthur.

**a ****_kitsune_**** promise** = Alfred makes Kiku promise to obey his orders even when he has given up the star ball. _Kitsune_ (and many other supernatural creatures around the world) are notoriously tricky with their words. You have to be EXACT when making a wish or a command, and leave no loopholes or obscurities or grey areas, otherwise the supernatural creature will use that to screw you over in revenge for ordering them around. So Alfred has to be very careful and clear in his command that Kiku will never harm them again - either personally, or by getting someone else to do it on his behalf. He knew what he was talking about, after spending so long around Kiku and his kind, so his words will keep him, Arthur, Mint, Hong and all the others who helped that night, stay safe from Kiku forever.

**rabbit of the moon** = in Japan and China, they say there is a rabbit in the moon, not a man in the moon as we say in the west. (This was covered in a Hetalia comic and episode once.) So Mint's tribe are moon bunnies! She's a fairy, which is called a_ yousei_ in Japanese (like how England sings in his character song: "Yousei-san! Yousei-san! Ahaha-ha-ha!")

**bringing Arthur back from the dead** = I know it seemed lame, BUT! In my research I found out that the Japanese believed some fairies could bring the dead back to life. I didn't even make it up! It just worked so well - fairies can bring the dead back to life. It was PERFECT for Arthur!

**Alfred's hair** = cutting off your hair in Japan can often symbolise a new beginning. (Even in modern times, many boys will start a new school year with their heads shaved almost completely.) So it was very appropriate for Alfred to give up his hair at this point in time, when he's about to start his new life. Plus, fairies often ask for sacrifices in payment for wishes, and Alfred's famous hair which had made him special all this time, was a classic sort of sacrifice. (You see hair as a sacrifice in "Howl's Moving Castle" by Hayao Miyazaki, too. In fact, several of his heroines end up getting a haircut a the end: like Shita in "Laputa", and Haru in "The Cat Returns".)

**the music box** = this AU (Japanese style!Alfred, _kitsune_, etc.) is generally caled the Music Box AU, based on the name of the MMD by Aoi on NicoNico that made it famous. So I had to get one in somewhere. There was no music in Kiku's music box because only he can hear it. When the lid opens, he hears the music in his own ears. That's why he rushed out of the play so suddenly - he heard the music box in his ears and knew someone was trying to get his star ball.

**Kiku** = some notes about Kiku which didn't really fit anywhere else. _Kitsune_ are very social beings, and if they are not currently living in a clan with family members or in a _kitsune _city, they will still surround themselves with other types of mythological beings, and even humans. They are very curious creatures, and love gathering knowledge about different types of people and beings. This is why Kiku started a theatre troupe in Yoshiwara - he wanted to have lots of different people visit his establishment so he could sate his curious nature and always have interesting new people to talk to. Another thing _kitsune_ love are secrets, and they treat it like a game: finding out as many secrets about other people as possible, but trying to keep themselves shrouded in mystery. This is another reason Kiku likes the theatre life - having a close-knit group of actors/prostitutes living close together, not to mention a big crowd of drunken, excited creatures in the audience almost every night, means he hears lots of juicy titbits. And yet, Kiku is still a mystery to everyone around him. Basically,he is very good at what _kitsune_ games, even if he's the only one who knows they're playing.

What is more, Kiku is known in Japanese mythology as a "_yako kitsune_." There are good _kitsune_ (called _zenko kitsune_) who serve the fox god Inari. These types can be mischievous and trick humans, but they do not cause harm. Then there are the _yako kitsune_, who can range from being mischievous tricksters, to being downright evil. (Evil ones are rare, though.) Whilst _kitsune_ can and will play pranks on any type of being, they cause most trouble for humans. It's not that they hate humans in particular - rather that _kitsune_ do not live by human morals. They might do something terrible to a human which the _kitsune_ would not actually consider evil, because their code of conduct is different from ours. For example, _kitsune_ particularly love testing their skills as thieves, and stealing is even considered an art form to many _kitsune_. Naturally, they most enjoy stealing valuable and/or beautiful things - real treasure of al varieties. Sometimes even humans can be considered a good prize worth stealing, and _yako kitsune_ might try to steal a beautiful man or woman away from their partner. It won't be because they have feelings for that human - they just want to show off their thievery skills and play a good prank on the human.

Kiku knows very well the pleasures of these unsavoury _kitsune_ past-times because he was the one who killed Alfred's parents. Alfred only learnt this when he was trying to escape with Arthur the first time, and he didn't bring it up in detail again _this_ time because they had so little time and the information wasn't vital to their plan. But Kiku was, indeed, the one who killed Mr. and Mrs. Jones a while after they arrived in Japan. He saw Alfred as a child and knew he was a wonderful and unique prize - a golden-haired boy with blue eyes and a fierce soul. So Kiku basically "stole" Alfred from the life he was supposed to lead, and raised him to be a _kagema_. But it wasn't just stealing Alfred from his parents that made Kiku keep him around. Alfred proved to be a great prize worth holding on to. Kiku could sell Alfred's services and body to others - make them want Alfred and desire him and covet Kiku's treasure - and then Kiku could steal him back from them after they had had a glimpse of him. And they had to _pay_ him for it! Once they've seen Alfred in a play or spent the night with him, they have to pay Kiku and thank him for showing them his treasure, only to have Alfred taken away from them again. It's the ultimate combination of stealing and trickery and money-making, and would be very attractive to certain bad types of _kitsune_. Kiku has managed to make a good life for himself doing this, and although it's at the expense of Alfred's life, he has no concept of human morality, so he doesn't care. He just doesn't want to give Alfred up, or his fun will be over.

One last thing! _Yako kitsune_ may be more mischievous and dangerous than the good _zenko kitsune _but there is one good thing about them: they can never go back on their word. If a_ yako kitsune_ makes a promise, it is impossible for them to break it. Obviously, this means they rarely go around making promises, but they become very valuable and a _yako kitsune_ doesn't want to be chained to do favours for many people. They usually have to be tricked into making a promise, but even if it's achieved through trickery, they will still never break their word once its given. Alfred took full advantage of this. Not only did he secure Kiku's star ball to make sure he could _command_ Kiku to leave them alone forever, but even just by forcing Kiku to make that promise, he knew the _kitsune _could never go back on his word, even once Alfred had given back the star ball. Of course, he was still worried that it wouldn't work because it was a tense situation, but really he had done a clever thing; it was really the only way for him to escape.

**Thank you for reading.**


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